Jeanann Barbour, known throughout the Albany community for her giving nature and steadfast support of events and charities, died peacefully at her home on March 1 aged 82.
Mrs Barbour lived an adventurous life.
Born in Kenya in 1943 to parents Anne and Charles Rodgers, she left Africa as a young woman to study physiotherapy at London’s Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals.
She met Richard Barbour at a young farmers field day while back home in Kenya, and the pair married in 1964.
They were married for 52 years, raising their children Robert, Marina and Shiona in Kenya before emigrating to Western Australia in 1974 to give their children a new start.
In WA, Mr and Mrs Barbour bought Cloverdene, a sheep and crop farm in Boyup Brook, and lived there for nine years.
Mrs Barbour’s daughter Shiona Hobart said moving to WA was a huge change, but her parents did their best to get involved in their new community.
“We were heavily involved in the Boyup Brook community, so the outpouring of love has been incredible from there too,” Ms Hobart said.
“Mum was involved in everything from swimming club to Girl Guides to the school P&C when we were kids. She just jumped in to do anything.
“There were a lot of big changes but they just never gave up and kept learning as they went.”
When the family moved to Albany, they bought the North Road squash courts and renovated the building to transform it into a community fitness centre known as The Action Station, and Mrs Barbour trained to become an aerobics instructor.
Eventually Mr and Mrs Barbour went back to Africa, spending more than a decade in Tanzania helping their son Robert set up a small conservation park called Kisampa, before returning to Albany in 2014.
Mr Barbour died in January 2016 and Mrs Barbour stayed active in the community after his death, becoming involved in many Albany community organisations.
She was a community member of the Albany Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Soroptimist Society, as well as the founder of a weekly club called No Excuses which raised money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
She was also a longtime member of the Albany Golf Club and had her own events planning business which helped start the Albany Farmers Market in 2002.
Ms Hobart said her mum was passionate about supporting and growing whichever community she was part of.
“She was vivacious, colourful, euphoric, she just loved people, and loved Albany,” she said.
“She just had a heart of gold, and cared so much about people, who in turn cared about her.”
Many Albany residents knew Mrs Barbour from her work with the Albany Community Hospice, where she was on the board and oversaw fundraising efforts, including through the annual Spinathon, getting local businesses involved including Elders Albany and the former Albany Holden.
Ms Hobart’s daughter Emily said her grandmother was “stubborn” in the best way, and would set her mind to something and make sure it happened. “She didn’t do things by halves,” she said.
Mr and Mrs Barbour had seven grandchildren.
Mrs Barbour was a huge fan of the Albany Shantymen, and the band played her a tribute show at Six Degrees three days after her death, on March 4, which was attended by many of her closest friends and family.
“The Shantymen called her their No.1 groupie, and she was the one who got them to start helping fundraise for hospice, and they still do,” Ms Hobart said.
“They actually did two tributes to her, the first one when she was in hospital in Fiona Stanley, and this final one was a really special tribute to say goodbye, and raised more money for hospice.”