'She could do anything': Dedicated public servant Barb McLintock dies at 68
McLintock was a former reporter and the public face of the B.C. Coroner's Service
Barb McLintock, a former reporter and longtime public servant, passed away in a Victoria hospital on Friday morning at the age of 68, after a brief battle with thyroid cancer.
The world has lost a wonderful soul. Barb McLintock was a superior journalist and public servant. I will miss her blue ribbon photography at the Luxton Fall Fair. Condolences to her many friends.
—@jjhorganMcLintock worked for the B.C. Coroners Service for 14 years starting in 2004.
In 2011, she became the service's first manager of communications, and became the public face of the service, often working early mornings, late nights, and weekends.
A statement from the service said "Barb was on a first-name basis with virtually every experienced journalist in the province, as well as most of the politicians."
Lisa Lapointe, B.C.'s chief coroner, said McLintock "dedicated her life to public service."
I’m at a loss today to find words to express what Barb McLintock meant to me professionally and as a friend with unwavering support and encouragement. Her sudden passing leaves me sad but I feel so fortunate to have worked with her in transition. Rest In Peace Barb
—@AndyWatsonBC"She was just a pleasure to work with, very down to earth, very pragmatic, incredibly honest and she had great integrity. She was incredibly intelligent and so well read, she could speak knowledgeably on almost any subject and she knew everybody intimately," said Lapointe.
"You couldn't go anywhere with Barb, at least in Victoria, and not run into somebody she knew. She knew all the politicians, she knew all the stakeholders, of course she knew all the media folks."
Lapointe said McLintock was known for her love of horses, and also served in a number of community groups.
"Her talents were amazing, she could do anything," she said. "We sure will miss her."
McLintock retired from her full time role in February 2017. After a few months of travelling, she returned, working part time on several projects for the service.
She left in late November of this year after being diagnosed with cancer.
Legislative reporter
McLintock is also remembered as a reporter who worked as a legislative reporter for the Province newspaper starting in the 1970s.
1973, the late, great Barb McLintock (front row) was only 1 of 2 women in the BC Press Gallery, writing <a href="https://twitter.com/theprovince?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theprovince</a>. Barb & <a href="https://twitter.com/VancouverSun?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VancouverSun</a>'s Marjorie Nichols (back row) were trailblazers. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bcpoli</a> <a href="https://t.co/oAhDaLuEaY">pic.twitter.com/oAhDaLuEaY</a>
—@Mary_Griffin_Province columnist Mike Smyth worked with her for 10 years and said she was known for her photographic memory and her knitting.
"Quite often she would be in the press gallery watching the politicians debate and she'd be knitting the whole time and then sometimes people would say, 'Hey who's this quirky lady knitting over here?'" he said.
"Well guess what? She didn't miss a thing. Somebody made a joke to me today: 'Nobody pulled the wool over her eyes,' you know because she didn't miss anything."
Barb McLintock, who passed away today at age 68, was a legendary reporter for The Province at the legislature and a respected B.C. coroner. She loved singing, horses and bird-watching. She was also a master at knitting and needlepoint. This is her work: <a href="https://t.co/XeaLE5dZoX">pic.twitter.com/XeaLE5dZoX</a>
—@MikeSmythNews