Barbara C. (Bedard) Lavey, 89, of McKinney TX, formerly of West Bloomfield, Michigan, passed away on February 5, 2023, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and a short battle with lung cancer. Barbara Bedard was born on June 23, 1933, to Veronica and Norman Bedard in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the third of four girls, where her father Norman served as the official butcher to four prime ministers in Ottawa Canada over a 40-year period.
After graduating from Immaculata High School in Ottawa in 1950 at 16, Barbara went on to get her nursing degree at the University of Ottawa in 1954. At the tender age of 20, she set off on a grand adventure with three other nursing grads and headed down to the United States of America, and more specifically to Ann Arbor Michigan, where she got her first job as a labor and delivery nurse at the University of Michigan Hospital.
It was there in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she met the love of her life, Gil Lavey. They married on November 10, 1956 in Ottawa Canada, and lived together almost inseparable for over 62 years. An ROTC student, Gilbert went into the Air Force as an officer upon graduation, and together Gil and Barbara spent three years overseas on the Tachikawa Air Force Base in Japan, before returning to Detroit, going on to have four children: Michael, Karen, Steve, and Teri.
When Barb’s children were young, the phrase “stay-at-home-mom” didn’t exist. It was usual for women to stay home with the children while their husbands worked. But even by the standards of the era, Barbara was an exceptional wife and mother. She cared deeply for her family and neighbors, church and community. She did this not out of obligation, but because of who she was. Barbara excelled at motherhood and was the foundation of the family, through and through. She was an excellent gift giver, always knew the right thing to say, never missed a special date, drove the kids everywhere for all their extra-curricular activities (in her favorite 1969 Red VW Bug), and was always the family’s constant cheerleader and supporter. She regularly brought meals to the home of sick neighbors and worked with the local Meals on Wheels. She worked at and served as the head of the yearly Christmas Ebenezer’s Village at the children’s elementary school for a number of years. She also served faithfully at a local crisis pregnancy center and was a volunteer at a retirement center in McKinney in her free time. Possessing a true servant’s heart, Barb also cared for family and friends through delicious cooking/baking from scratch – including cake decorating, sewing and crafting, and the annual Christmas cookie baking extravaganza!
A woman of deep abiding faith, Barbara shaped her whole family’s faith and spirituality by her tireless Christian example, and also grew her faith through her various Christian women’s groups and activities. Barbara heard and understood the life changing message of the Gospel at Brightmoor Christian Church in Novi, Michigan, and she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior in 1974. She was committed to serving to the glory and honor of God in all she did and demonstrating a true reflection of how to live a righteous life. When she moved to Texas, she attended Christ Our King in Plano for several years and then became a member of Christ Fellowship in McKinney, TX. She loved singing praises to God and was a mighty intercessory prayer warrior, participating in the prayer ministry during all worship services and especially the prayer ministry for all church missionaries, and she faithfully listened to God’s Word or read her Bible every day. Throughout her life, Mom enjoyed leading and taking part in Bible studies with different groups of ladies and had a real passion for God's Word.
Her obedience to Jesus Christ and her caring heart for everyone she came in contact with gave her the opportunity to lead many people to the Lord during her life. “Grams”, as she was known, prayed daily for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren as well as her extended family, even up to her last days. It was her life's goal to make sure that anyone she came in to contact with would hear about and come to know the Lord that loves them. This beautiful soul was the matriarch of her family, and she made sure all of her children came to know and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. She taught us all that God always comes first and that family is everything. This is the enormous life-giving legacy that Grams is leaving behind, and this is the legacy that will be carried on through her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved her. But we know that this is not just an ending for Grams. This is also a new beginning for her and the eternal life that she will now be spending with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Grams will be forever remembered for her beautiful smile, gentle eyes, caring heart, loving embrace, and unconditional love. Although our hearts are heavy, we will celebrate her life and find comfort that she is in Heaven watching over us. Grams has fought a good fight, she has finished the race, she has kept the faith, and now we know that Christ has come to take her home. Although we are saddened that we no longer have her here with us, we can rejoice that she is now in Heaven, with no pain, and no tears, and is surrounded by unspeakable joy with the Lord, and her soul is singing to the Savior, How Great Thou Art!
Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, Norman John Bedard, and Veronica Mary (McGuire) Bedard; her husband Gilbert Leo Lavey (2019); and her sisters, Maureen (Bedard) Cloutier, Norma (Bedard) Balik, and Margot (Bedard) Carroll.
Barbara is survived and missed by her children, Michael Lavey and wife, Jenny of Prosper, Texas; Karen Oliver and husband, Gerald of Ector, Texas; Steve Lavey and wife, Susan of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Teri Whitten and husband, Jay of Spring, Texas; 17 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Carolyn Fitzpatrick of Jackson, Michigan; and a host of nieces, nephews and other beloved friends and relatives.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 13, 2023 at Christ Fellowship, 2801 Orchid Drive, McKinney, TX 75072. A wake will be held on Saturday evening from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas.
In lieu of flowers we encourage you to make a donation in Barbara Lavey's name to: Parkinson Voice Project - 646 N. Coit Road, Suite 2250, Richardson, Texas 75080 469-375-6500 – to donate, click here: https://www.parkinsonvoiceproject.org/donate.