Obituary of Victor James Barnard

Victor James Barnard

Victor James Barnard passed away Thursday April 16, 2026, at the Our Lady of The Rosary Hospital and Care Centre, Castor Alberta at the age of 101 years. Victor was born on June 25, 1924, in Seattle Washington USA. The first-born son to Roy and Edna (Caseley) Barnard.

As a young child Victor experienced life on the move. Leaving Seattle in 1927 and returning to the Coronation area for a year, then onto Rosetown, Saskatchewan until the fall of 1931. He gained a travelling partner in 1932 when his brother Wilbur was born. The family rented a farm southwest of Veteran for one year.  In 1934 Victor and his family moved to their own farm and stayed there until 1937. 1937 was a bad year so the family moved to Toronto for a short time and finally coming back to the Barnard farm in the same year.

Victor was never afraid of hard work.  Working on the family farm as well as for other farmers in the area. Victor hauled oats from the family farm after a very good year in 1942 into Coronation with a team and sleigh most of that winter. Victor also worked on several thrashing outfits in the area until July 1943.

In the fall of 1946 Victor purchased his first tractor and a six-foot tiller. The following spring he rented seven additional quarters of land to compliment the Barnard owned farmland. In the fall of 1947 Victor bought his first combine. It was a Massey Pull type at the cost of $1440.00. With this new purchase Victor did enough custom combining that year to pay for the combine until the crops on the family farm were ready to be harvested.  From that point on more land was acquired once enough cash was on hand to do so as Victor did not believe in borrowing money. In addition to farming Victor and his brother had a well drilling business for a few years.   Victor and his brother were always available to lend a helping hand to the neighbours on the farm.  They were known to be able to repair just about everything with or without parts!

Victor remained on the farm until selling and moving into the town of Coronation with his brother in 1989. Not one to sit around and do-nothing Victor started to do small engine repairs along side his brother. Word traveled fast and soon the small engine repair business became too much. The brothers stopped doing small engine repairs in 2007.

In the winter Victor loved to Curl.   He was very good at the game.  Once the game on the ice became a bit too much, he traded that game in for floor curling at the Golden Age Center. He did not like to miss a curling game or be interrupted while the curling game was on TV. You could stay and watch the game with him but no talking not till the game was over.

In between fixing small engines in the summer, Victor found time to garden, just like he did on the farm. He had the gift of gardening - his speciality was potatoes, carrots, onions and peas.  He always had a bountiful garden harvest. Weeds did not stand a chance to grow in his garden.  Any weed that tried was gone upon being spotted!

We honour his life, celebrate his achievements, and remember the joy he brought into our lives. May his memory be a blessing.

Victor is survived  by cousins; Vonda Lamontagne, Dennis Laontagne, Craig (Heather) Caseley, Wesley Ley, Marvin Ley, Alice Fay (Russell) Watts, Violet (Ron) Milton, Chris (Don) Sharkey, Shirley Kary, other family and friends.

Predeceasing Victor were his mother Edna in 1985, father Roy in 1952 and brother Wilbur in 2012,as well as numerous uncles, aunts and cousins

Public Graveside on Wednesday,

April 29, 2026 at 1:30 P.M.

Coronation Cemetery, Coronation, Alberta.

Luncheon and Fellowship following

from 2:00 – 4:00 P.M.

Golden Age Senior’s Drop -In Centre, Coronation, Alberta

Donations may be made in Victor’s memory to the Coronation Hospital Foundation or a charity of your choice.

Should friends desire messages may be left for the family by visiting www.parkviewfuneralchapels.com