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Barbara Lewis
November 16, 1929 - August 24, 2018
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<div itemprop="description">Barbara Lewis (Roach) <br>Barbara passed away from complications of Alzheimers on Friday August 24, 2018, in the loving arms of family at her retirement residence in Ottawa. <br>Born in Cochrane, Ontario, November 16, 1929 to William Henry Roach and Eva Sheridan, her father was a locomotive engineer with CN Rail and her mother was a dedicated homemaker. Barbara lived in Cochrane until her early adolescence when her father was promoted to Superintendent and the family moved to Ottawa. Her grandfather’s grandfather James Roach was a blacksmith who came from Ireland in the 1830’s to work on the Rideau Canal and the first road from Ottawa up the Ottawa Valley. Her mother was also of Irish ancestry. <br>Barbara had 5 sisters, one of whom died in early childhood from congenital problems. She is survived by 2 of those sisters. <br>At age 22 Barbara married a young air force pilot named Ken Lewis who was posted to Uplands air base in Ottawa. This blond Calgarian would advance rapidly to a Lieutenant General in charge of the entire Canadian Air Force. His frequent promotions led Barbara around the world - to Europe, the US and across Canada. Ken was raised by an Alberta cattle rancher and his libertarian upbringing meshed well with Barbara’s family-oriented Irish Catholic roots. <br>Ken and Barbara had 5 children together - 2 sons and 3 daughters whom she dutifully and efficiently dragged around the world with her –son John and daughter Susan were born on Canadian Air Force bases in Germany. <br>Sadly, Ken died of prostate cancer at age 62 in 1992. Barbara subsequently spent most of her winters in Florida near Naples and enjoyed the company of her children and grandchildren and many close friends. She spent her summers at the cottage built by Ken on Sand Lake on the Rideau system. A private family service will be held. <br>The Lewis family wishes to thank all the great staff at the Carlingwood Retirement Community who looked after Barbara in her last few years. <br>Donations to the Alzheimer Society would be greatly appreciated. <br></div>