Rebecca May Baard
April 26, 2000 – August 22, 2026
Rebecca May Baard, 26, of Waterville, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on August 22, 2026.
Rebecca was born on April 26, 2000, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to Andrew Baard and Linda Finnerty. Her life took her from South Africa to England, then back to South Africa, before she came to Canada in 2017, where she would build a life and family of her own.
In 2021, Rebecca became a mother for the first time when she welcomed her daughter, Valkyrie Cliodhna Rolleston. From the moment Valkyrie entered her life, being a mother became one of the most important parts of who Rebecca was. She loved her daughter fiercely and devoted herself to giving her a life filled with love, security, laughter, and memories.
Rebecca later met and fell in love with Zackery Painter, and together they built a family with Valkyrie at its heart. Zackery became “Da” to Valkyrie, and the three of them created a home and a life together.
Their family grew once again on June 26, 2026, when Rebecca gave birth to their daughter, Freya Pauline Painter. Rebecca adored her two little girls, and there was nothing more important to her than her family. Although their time together as a family of four was heartbreakingly short, it was filled with an incredible amount of love.
Rebecca was so much more than the dates that marked her life. She was a mother, a partner, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. She was caring, loving, funny, strong, and completely devoted to the people she loved. She had a way of leaving a piece of herself with the people who knew her, and her absence leaves a space that can never truly be filled.
Rebecca is survived by her fiancé and partner, Zackery; her two precious daughters, Valkyrie and Freya; her mother, Linda; her brother, Tim; and her father, Andrew, along with their significant others. She also leaves behind extended family members and many friends who loved her deeply.
For Zackery, Valkyrie, and Freya, Rebecca was the heart of their family. Losing her has changed their lives forever, but the love she gave them did not leave with her.
Her daughters will grow up knowing their mother. They will hear her stories, see her photographs, learn about the things that made her laugh, and be reminded of just how deeply she loved them. Rebecca will continue to live through Valkyrie and Freya—in the pieces of her they carry, in the memories her family keeps alive, and in the love she left behind.
Twenty-six years was nowhere near enough.
Rebecca was loved beyond words, and she will be missed beyond measure.
A celebration of Rebecca’s life will be planned and announced in the coming weeks.