By Renee Wood
Family and friends have gathered to pay tribute and honour well-known and loved Healesville resident Barbara Honan.
Barb sadly passed away in February after a brave battle with cancer and on Wednesday 9 March loved ones said farewell to a lady who was larger than life at Le Pine Funeral home.
Barb was loved by her family and the community for her efforts making the town a better place and speaking out for others – all while sharing her wonderful personality and charm.
Celebrant Jenny Keddell conducted the ceremony and said Barb was known as a diamond in the rough who had a heart of gold, and was known as ‘the best dressed woman in Healesville’.
“She was a true fashionista who was always immaculately presented and all her outfits were well accessorised with shoes, bags and jewellery. It was important to Barb that locals shop local, and she did exactly that,” Ms Keddell said.
But Barb’s good eye for fashion certainly wasn’t the only thing she was known for locally as she joined many groups and organisations and worked on several projects to benefit the greater community.
“She spoke out vocally and worked very hard behind the scenes to do what needed to be done,” she said.
“In that respect she was a quiet achiever, never looking for accolades for herself, just satisfied in having achieved her goals for her community. She never gave in and she never gave up when fighting for social justice.”
Sister Jade Oropesa wrote in her tribute about many of Barb’s local achievements, starting with Barb quickly joining others on the campaign to reopen the Healesville Hospital when she moved to the area.
Seeing the value of tourism, Barb started an ambitious project providing walking tours to visitors and shared the rich local indigenous history with many.
Barb soon transformed the Healesville Sanctuary café as the Catering Department Manager and used her excellent cooking skills, wealth of industry knowledge and culinary arts degree to turn the café into a four star restaurant.
Convincing the Bendigo Community Bank to establish a Healesville Branch was part of Barb’s doing, as was bringing the Beechworth Bakery to town after she contacted the owners.
Barb sat on various boards and led many groups including being a Community Bank Board member, a Chamber of Commerce president and Living and Learning Centre chairperson.
Barb’s reach went state wide as well as she fought to change Victorian adoption laws to become more transparent for families in search of birth parents and children.
Wherever Barb went her presence was felt, something the Star Mail is grateful for seeing as she worked at the Mail Newspaper as an Advertising Sales Executive for more than a decade.
Jade concluded how she called her Mrs Healesville and it was a fitting title indeed.
Always making a fashion statement wearing stillettos, Barb fit in well at race meets in Yarra Glen and Healesville and was a regular winner of the fashions on the field and soon judged the competition.
Her life and legacy goes beyond the Yarra Ranges and her family shared many achievements and memories of Barb’s early life.
Barb’s working life began in hospitality in the CBD and she was well known in the industry, working for some of Melbourne’s top restaurants.
In 1969, she married Terry Honan and their lives were forever changed in 1972 when Terry’s brother and wife tragically died.
They made the brave and loving decision to raise their six children and four of the boys came to live with Barb and Terry in Macleod.
Son Patrick Honan paid tribute to Barb in the funeral by live stream, expressing how he is forever grateful for their decision to adopt them and for having Barb in his life.
“Barb was one of those people that had a natural zest and energy and appreciation of life that ensured her presence was always felt, and that every encounter was a positive outcome,” Patrick said.
Patrick mentioned Barb’s care for the community was always present, sharing how she persisted running in the Macleod council elections several times.
Barb later moved to Chum Creek with her partner Frank and Patrick said how ‘she found herself in Healesville’ and loved living here.
“It was impossible to meet for lunch and take a quick walk down main street without endless stops and chats with traders in their shops, people on the pavement, even the middle of the crossing,” he said.
Patrick remembered Barb’s compassion for others was so strong; she risked her life to help others through the Black Saturday bushfires.
Starting a bed and breakfast was Barb’s latest adventure, offering a luxurious service to those who visited the region.
Many of whom returned to Barb’s B&B, leaving lovely notes of praise and thanks for their host in the guest book.
After Frank’s passing Barb lived by herself for several years with her dogs who she loved very much, known as a dog lover for her whole life.
In 2016, it was a connection with the Mail Newspaper that brought Barb’s partner David Dixon into her life.
David’s daughter also worked at the newspaper and introduced Barb to David who moved to the town from Perth.
David wrote in his tribute how they quickly fell in love and were happily planning to retire and travel around Australia in a campervan.
Sadly in 2020 the world was locked down as the Covid-19 Pandemic consumed reality and during this time Barb was diagnosed with cancer.
David cared for Barb during her illness and was grateful to be by her side when she passed away at Healesville Hospital on 23 February.
“You are one in a million my love and will always hold a special place in my heart. I will keep loving you until the day I die, rest in peace my love,” he wrote.
