It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Mrs. Barbara Florio on April 21, 2026, at the age of 91.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the COOPÉRATIVE FUNÉRAIRE DE L’OUTAOUAIS located at 95 Cité-des-Jeunes Blvd. in Gatineau (Hull sector). Condolences will start at 1:30 p.m.
You will be able to view the ceremony live or on replay via the internet link provided. In the event of technical difficulties during the live broadcast, a replay will be available at a later date.
Author and teacher, born in New Haven, CT, in 1934, moved to Canada in 1967. Daughter of the late Carl and Jean Florio, sister of the late Sherry Florio Russo of Albany, Georgia, and the late Audrey Florio Grava, of Chicago, Illinois. Aunt of Donald, Jeffrey, Derrick Grava, Karen Grava Luby, Valerie Russo Buchanan, David Russo and the late Carla Russo Griffiths. Great-aunt and great-great aunt to many in the Buchanan, Grava and Russo offspring. Very close friend of the Najaks.
Friend, teacher and mentor to many.
Thank you to Dr. Foucault and the staff at CHSLD Lionel Emond who cared for her in her last years.
The author of Five Fast Steps to Better Writing, Five Fast Steps to Low-cost Publicity, and Mewsings/Musings, Bobbi was a popular workshop leader and valued mentor to many other writers. She served as Managing Editor for Prose to Go: Tales from a Private List and was one of 18 contributors to that book.
Bobbi graduated from Barnard College with a degree in English, and taught English at the Latin School of Chicago.
She won awards for fiction, non-fiction, humor and poetry, and contributed to more than 40 anthologies in seven countries, as well as to websites around the world. Her company, Simon Teakettle Ink, was named for her cat, Simon Teakettle, a frequent contributor to CBC radio and CATS Magazine, featured on Animal Planet TV and on Pet World Radio.
Bobbi was a devoted supporter of the Great Canadian Theatre Company and the Orpheus Musical Theatre Society.
She was awarded a lifetime membership in Ottawa Independent Writers in 2014, and was an officer of her Barnard College class, contributing Class Notes to the Barnard Alumnae Magazine.
She was also a regular contributor to Freelance Writer's Report, the Byline (Canadian Authors' Association National Capital Region), and many other publications.
Bobbi was a charter member of the Cat Writers' Association, and won awards at two of their conferences, including the Shojai Mentoring Award in 2010.
Bobbi visited the Sandy Lake First Nation in 1975, taught a writing workshop for the Band Council in 1990, and remained in contact with the extended Meekis family, whose family tree and information is on her website.
Her full bio and accomplishments are on her website:
A founding member of the Board of Directors of the Macdonald Club, established in 1981, donations to the Macdonald Club Foundation via The Community Foundation of Ottawa would be appreciated in lieu of flowers. The Macdonald Club is a private club created to support and encourage the creative arts which supports awards to students at Carleton University and University of Ottawa students.
https://www.ocf-fco.ca/funds/en-macdonald-club-fund/
Your condolences can be sent to: www.cfo.coop