Barry Gordon McDermott, resident of Clairmont, AB, suddenly passed away on July 29, 2023, in Clairmont, at the age of 51 years.

Barry was born and raised in Grande Prairie, AB. He graduated grade 12 at St. Joseph’s High School. After that, he moved to Calgary, AB, where he started taking computer graphic design courses at SAIT. He lived there for about 10 years. He then moved to Vancouver, BC, where he honed in his love for 3D digital art and worked for a company that was partially contracted by Pixar, he worked doing that until 2009 when he was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. After a couple of years, he had to stop working and moved back home to Grande Prairie where he continued his art, creating digital pieces which were featured by the Grande Prairie Art Gallery, and the Grant Berg Art Gallery. He freelanced remotely from his home up to his last days. He loved to make music videos and he was an incredible composer and producer of music. You can find some of his work on YouTube, he goes by the handle ‘Carashay’.

Barry was quiet, reserved, gentle, and kind, and if you knew Barry, he was the dog whisperer. At gatherings you would find him outside, throwing a ball, stick, or some kind of toy for whichever animal would go fetch it.

If he wasn’t making music, he was tinkering in his garden, pruning, weeding, watering, and loving his flowers. He loved to plan and organize vacations; he was also in the starting stages of planning our next adventure.

He will be sadly missed by his mom Gloria McDermott; his siblings: Mark, Kelly (Paula), and Vonda; nephews and nieces: Cody, Dylan (Morgan), Shelby (Dallas), and Alison (George); as well as great-nephews and nieces: Chet, Stetson, Tex, Trace, and Maeve.

He was predeceased by his father Henry McDermott, and his great-nephew Chas Fowler.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at 11:00am, at Oliver’s Funeral Home in Grande Prairie (10005 107 Ave.). Luncheon and refreshments to follow. Interment to follow at the Grande Prairie Cemetery (84th Ave. and 112th St.).

If you want to dress up for the service, you can, but if you also feel like wearing your old t-shirt and jeans or shorts with your sandals, then Barry would have loved that.