Barry Dunphy

With great sadness the family of Barry (Scott) Hilton Dunphy, of Salmon Arm, announce his passing at 92 years of age, after a short bout of pneumonia.

Barry (Scott) was born in Weberville, Alberta near Peace River to Richard (Dick) and Lilian (Lil) Dunphy.  The fifth born child, of six, including sisters, Ethel and Nina and three brothers, John, Irvine (Duffy) and Gene.

As Scott would tell it, he was born on the 13th of October, 1929, then the Stock Market crashed, there was a seven-year drought, and the long Depression years compelled him to go wherever there was paying work. He carried a recipe for biscuits in his wallet so that he might never go hungry.  After his parents separated, Scott, in his youth spent time in various places with family in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.  After completing Grade 8, he set out on his own, hitchhiking back and forth across Canada seeking employment.  He was eager, willing and able, up for trying most anything.  All Scott’s experiences and skills learned, proved beneficial and set a pattern for the rest of his life.   He never stopped learning new things, worked diligently, fiercely independent and frugal to the end. 

In 1949 he met Margaret Larson in Port Arthur, Ontario and started out their married life and family in Camrose, Alberta before moving back to Port Arthur, with their first baby and producing three more before moving to BC where two more came along, six kids in all. The family settled in Coquitlam, then Port Coquitlam and Scott found steady work for the next 15 years at Shell Oil Refinery.  In 1969 Scott and Marg moved the family to Salmon Arm, where he pursued his passion for building, constructing houses all over the Shuswap for the next 30 years.   

In 2016 Scott had to take on another role when his wife Margaret passed away after 67 happy years together.  He'd been taking lessons from his wife in cooking and baking and was an excellent student.  Scott will be remembered for his wonderful home-made soups, bread, pies, cookies and his life stories told over a meal.  He had a great love for puns, scrabble, cribbage and visits with friends and family. 

Pre-deceased by his parents, Dick and Lil and his siblings; wife Margaret; sons Durrand and Duffy; as well as grandson Tomas. 

Left to mourn are:  son Darcy; daughters Debra (Boris), Barbara (John) and Kelly (Jan); daughter-in-law Karolyn; good friend Charlie; brother-in-law Bruce; 13 grand-children; 16 great grand-children; and 2 great-great grand-children he did not get to meet; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their offspring; and only a few good old friends. 

Thank you to all the caring staff at Shuswap Lake General Hospital, especially his Doctor Skubiak.  No service for Scott, at his request, donations to Food Bank would be welcome in his memory.