Barbara Margaret Horton (née Taylor), 93, of Etobicoke, Ontario, died December 23, 2023, at the Village of Humber Heights.

She was born on November 13, 1930, to Donald Bayne Taylor and Hazel Elizabeth Taylor (née Laurie) in Almonte, Ontario.

Barbara studied piano and progressed to receiving her Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto (ARCT) in piano in 1948. Due to limited resources, she could not attend university and contemplated becoming a piano teacher when she graduated high school but decided to pursue accounting instead. In 1956, Barbara became one of the few women who earned the distinction of
becoming a Chartered Accountant.

She married Elgin Purcell Horton on October 18, 1958 and they had three children, Lorne David Horton, Ross Andrew Horton and Florence Hazel Horton.

She worked as a Chartered Accountant for the Canadian Tax Department and for Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL), where she met Elgin. Barbara subsequently spent most of her time raising their children, returning to the workforce as an accountant for a few years once the children were teenagers.

Throughout Barbara’s careers and into retirement, she spent time singing in community and church choirs, knitting and sewing, and she continued to focus on her family.

Barbara is survived by her husband Elgin; her two sons and their wives, Lorne Horton and Costanza Maggi, Ross and Karen Horton; her daughter Florence Horton; seven grandchildren (Celeste, Evan, Drew, Brianna, Alessandra, Owen and Anna), and her many nephews and nieces. All of these she loved deeply.

She was preceded in death by her parents Donald and Hazel Taylor, brother Laurie Taylor and twin brother David Taylor.

Visitation will be on Thursday, January 4, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Turner and Porter Butler Chapel, 4933 Dundas Street West, Etobicoke.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.