Obituary of REVEREND BARBARA SHOOMSKI

In Loving Memory of

Reverend Barbara Shoomski (nee Sinclair)

Peacefully and surrounded by her family, Barbara Shoomski, passed following a brief illness at the age of 77 on Saturday, March 28, 2026.

She was born and raised in the Metis/Cree community of Grand Rapids, MB and lived a life of service and spirituality as inspired by her Great Grandfather Reverend John Sinclair and guided by her parents, Stanley and Lydia and her Elder Gladys Cook.

She met her husband, Leo in Grand Rapids at a dance and married in the winter of 1967. They settled in Winnipeg for the majority of their adult lives, raising two daughters and contributing to the larger community in their work and as volunteers.

She was an advocate for some of the most marginalized people in the country, standing up for Indigenous people on the streets, seniors and Indigenous youth and brought attention to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. She was a lifelong member of the Anglican church and was ordained as a deacon October 10, 1999, and then as a priest on July 21, 2003. She was on the front line in the church as it went through the most transformational times in history as the churches began to reconcile with history of the Indian Residential School System.

Active as a priest at All Saints’ Anglican Church in Winnipeg, Barbara who offered the Kakinow Ntomakanik ministry, providing services for baptisms, weddings, funerals for the community. Through her work at All Saints’ Anglican Church, she served faithfully as a pastor and friend to the West Broadway community. She was a Member of Rupert’s Land Elders' Circle and the National Healing Fund.

She was a Chaplain at the Manitoba Youth Centre for several years and later at Health Sciences Centre for over 10 years where she heard many disclosures from Residential School survivors.

She was also a tutor for Vancouver School of Theology students seeking their master’s degrees and Board Chair for Hope Center Health in Winnipeg for 31 years. She provided pastoral care and volunteered for Agape Table food bank, supported single parents living in the inner city and supported the parents of missing and murdered Indigenous girls.

In 1996 she presented to the Canadian Parliament as a member of the Interfaith Committee on Youth Justice.

In 2004, she helped start the Sisters in Spirit campaign along with her friend Mary Lysecki and other members of the Anglican and United churches to bring attention to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada. A tragedy that was largely ignored at the time. It included the annual Mother’s Day Walk which continues today. She served as Chairperson for the campaign for many years.

She was given The Order of Rupert’s Land in 2020 in recognition of outstanding support and leadership in the Church.  

She received her Masters of Theology from the Vancouver School of Theology and taught a course titled, Indigenous Christian Theology, a Sacred Journey of Renewal, Faith and Hope at Canadian Mennonite University.

She was a champion for justice and often found herself as a solitary voice when standing up to institutional powers but for those who knew her, she never faded in her faith and her love for life. Those who heard the joy of her laugh will never forget it.

She is survived by her daughters Kirsten (Clint) and Kyrene and her sister Rosalie and many nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and colleagues. 

She is predeceased by her husband Leo, her parents Stanley and Lydia. Her brothers, Frederick, Hubert, Norman and Donald and her sister Sarah Nellie.

Service will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the All Saints’ Anglican Church, 521 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB.

Free parking is available in the Canada Life parking lot on Broadway across from the Church for the service.  

Interment will take place at a later date in Grand Rapids, Manitoba.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Agape Table.