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Caroline Balderston Parry

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Caroline Balderston Parry
Born1945 (1945)
DiedFebruary 11, 2022(2022-02-11) (aged 76–77)
Occupations
  • Writer
  • performer
  • poet
  • religious educator
SpouseDavid Parry
ChildrenEvalyn Parry, Richard Reed Parry

Caroline Balderston Parry (1945 – Feb 11, 2022) was a Canadian writer, musician, performer, celebrator, and consultant. She was the author of Zoomerang a Boomerang,[1][2] Let's Celebrate Canada's Special Days,[3] which won a 1987-88 Toronto IODE Book Award,[4] and Eleanora's Diary,[5] based on the 1830s diary of a Canadian immigrant girl, Eleanora Hallen. Caroline wrote, The Heron Spirals, A Commonplace Book,[6][7][8] reflecting on 15 years after the death of her husband David Parry. Caroline was a member of the Writers' Union of Canada.[9]

Caroline shared her love of language through haiku, such as her Speaking truth[10] and poems like Goshen Friends Meeting.[11]

She was a Quaker[12] and wrote for a number of Quaker publications.[13][14] She was also a Unitarian and a professional religious educator. She was the Director of Religious Education for the Unitarian Church of Montreal in Westmount/NDG.[15] In this role in 2013 she wrote \Befriending the "I Don't Know" Place]\ that starts with a quote from eco-philosopher Joanna Macy. In 2013, Caroline presented the annual Sunderland P. Gardner Lecture at Canadian Yearly Meeting on the subject of 'The I Don't Know Place'.[16]

Parry was married to David Parry, a singer, actor and director, and member of the folk group Friends of Fiddler's Green until his death. Her son Richard Parry leads the group Bell Orchestre and is the bassist for the rock band Arcade Fire,[17] and her daughter Evalyn Parry is an actress, director, and prominent spoken-word performer and musician. Caroline and her dulcimer were active in Ottawa's folk community.[18]

The Parry Family were featured on CKCU's Canadian Spaces on April 11, 2020, with Chris White along with, Stephen Fearing, and Catriona Sturton.

Caroline died on February 11, 2022, as shared in a Facebook post by her son Richard two days later.[19] Arcade Fire dedicated their video for "The Lightning I, II" to Caroline.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Story Time: Zoomerang a Boomerang - compiled by Caroline Parry, retrieved 2022-07-31
  2. ^ "Zoomerang a Boomerang". Goodreads.
  3. ^ "Let's Celebrate!: Canada's Special Days". Goodreads.
  4. ^ "Caroline Balderston Parry Fonds" (PDF). Toronto Public Library.
  5. ^ "Eleanora's Diary". Goodreads.
  6. ^ "The Heron Spirals: A Commonplace Book". Goodreads.
  7. ^ "The Heron Spirals: A Commonplace Book". Nature Canada. 2013-09-25. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  8. ^ Caroline Balderston Parry's book, The Heron Spirals, A Commonplace Book, introduced by Sandra Hunt, retrieved 2022-07-31
  9. ^ "Member Profile: Caroline Balderston Parry". Writers' Union of Canada.
  10. ^ "Speaking truth -- a haiku by Caroline B. Parry". mecteam.blogspot.com.
  11. ^ "Goshen Friends Meeting by Caroline Balderston Parry". The Friend.
  12. ^ "Ottawa Quakers working for children and peace". Quaker.org.
  13. ^ "My Car Died in Toronto". Friends Journal. 2002-09-01. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  14. ^ "Reflections on My Creative Journey". Friends Journal. 2002-05-01. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  15. ^ "Director of Religious Education". ucmtl.ca. Archived from the original on August 28, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ 'The I Don't Know Place' - 2013 SPG Lecture by Caroline Balderston Parry, 2022-02-17, retrieved 2022-07-31
  17. ^ Lynskey, Dorian (10 February 2011). "Arcade Fire: 'It's a lot easier to get smaller'". Guardian.
  18. ^ Spirit Crane by Ryan Field, retrieved 2022-07-31
  19. ^ https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10158842480181452&set=a.10151190657841452 [user-generated source]
  20. ^ "Arcade Fire - the Lightning I, II (Official Video) - YouTube". YouTube.
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