Jean Speare Obituary, Death – On July 17, 1921, Robert and Jane Barlow of Kersley welcomed their daughter Jean into the world at the Quesnel hospital. Dr. G.R. Baker was the physician who performed the delivery, and Jean was named after her parents. In 1929, Jerry became a member of the Barlow family through the process of adoption. During the years that she spent as a youngster in this community, she attended school at the Sisters Creek School in spite of the fact that she had to help out on the family farm. She tied the knot with A.M. (Mac) Grady and then spent the entirety of the war at the Royal Canadian Air Force facility in Coal Harbour, which was situated on the island of Vancouver. After the family had spent some time in Vancouver, which is where Robert (Robin) was born, they came back to the Cariboo region and settled in Wells.
Mac obtained employment at the Cariboo Gold Quartz there. Heather was initially brought into the world in the Wells hospital. Jean and Mac were able to participate in a wide variety of community activities thanks to the opportunities afforded to them by the Wells Ski Club as well as the Wells Rod and Reel Club. Jean did not have the kind of personality that would have allowed her to stand still and let the grass grow beneath her feet. She traveled all the way around Bowron Lake in her canoe, but her attention was largely drawn to the western side, which was located in close proximity to the location where a cabin had been built on Unna (Grizzly) Lake. She made the decision to buy a canoe with a square stern measuring 18 feet in length so that she could operate an outboard motor rated for up to 5 horsepower.
This made it possible for her to stay at the cabin for longer. When not being used for canoeing, the packs were worn for trekking the alpine peaks and paths that were beyond Barkerville. This was done whenever the packs were not in use for canoeing. The Elk Mountain cabin, also called the Cloud Inn, served as the destination point for the vast majority of hikes. Not only did she go on these treks during the summer, but throughout the winter she went skiing on the same trails and at the same local ski hills. We inherited this quaint little cabin from the miners after they went away, and despite the fact that it is almost 80 years old, we have continued to take care of it. We have made some of our happiest weekend memories here with our friends and family. After some time had passed, the family decided to make their home in Quesnel, and Mac found employment with the British Columbia Power Commission there.
After getting married to WC (Bill) Speare, Jean moved about to a lot of different places, including Williams Lake, North Vancouver, England, Quesnel, and Bouchie Lake in the end. Eventually, she settled at Bouchie Lake. Maeford Place in the town was where she had been living for the past four years, and those were her final years there. Jean worked as a Medical Records Librarian in hospitals, as well as in grocery stores, post offices, and newspapers, depending on where she happened to be living at the time. Her jobs took her all over the country. Jean maintained her sense of self-importance by filling her “spare time” with the writing of a range of short stories. In addition to having five novels published, she has also produced a vast amount of poetry over the course of her career.
Everything, from a “Vesper Moon” to “Squirrel Stew,” was always provided with an explanation in the style of a poem, even if it didn’t make any sense. She also found the time to paint a large number of landscapes and recollections during this time period. She had a special place in her heart for animals, and dogs in particular. As a result of this, she always treated her own dog and any other dog who knew how to act appropriately as members of the family. Jean has made the decision to walk away from her family: Robert and Loretta Grady, a married couple, both Grady, Adison, Hudson, and Reid, in addition to Grady’s parents, Ian and Andrea Grady, were all present. Wyatt and Alison Grady, in addition to Dave Nestel, were present. Both Mike Howard and Heather Grady, in their own right Colin and Karen Keis, Ryan, Ava Randelle Langevin, Emma, Jessica April and Dan, working together Maria, Evan, and Camille, together with Joey and Dusty, are the members of our group. Dana Speare is a member of the group along with Michelle, Erica, Tianna, and Sally.