September 6, 1942 - October 17, 2023
In loving memory of
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our Joyce on October 17, 2023. Born in Markstay, Ontario on September 6, 1942 to Loretta and Jack O'Neil, Joyce was blessed with younger siblings, Peggy (deceased 2015), Retta, and Jimmy. She attended the one room Skead Elementary Schoolhouse to grade 8, often requested by the school teacher to assist fellow peers. She then attended Nickel Belt Secondary School in Sudbury, followed by the Registered Nursing program at the Marymount School of Nursing, where she achieved advanced training in Maternity Nursing.
In 1965, she ventured outside her family's traditional geographic zone, bought a ticket on the CPR to Vancouver, arriving at the foot of Granville St. with neither employment nor accommodation. The walk up Burrard St. to St. Paul's Hospital, led to an offer of an immediate position in their Maternity Case Room.
That same year a young fellow from Queen's Meds 65, during his Rotating Internship through Obstetrics at St. Paul's, was smitten by this bright, beautiful girl. He boldly enticed her to go for a ride in his old 356 Porsche coupe, across the Lion's Gate bridge, and thus began 57 years of love and partnership and wonderful adventure. Our first adventure involved this United Church boy courting a good Roman Catholic girl... we were married in the newly established Ecumenical Church in Lumby by the Rev. Doug Hodgkinson... and the connected family members were more or less happy! There may have been some surprised that almost six decades later this union was still as strong as ever!
Soon thereafter arrived Suzi, and then Kap. The Family Practice years in Vernon were marked by new friendships, sailing, fly fishing, and skiing on 'the Star'. It was not an easy decision to pull up stakes and move to Seattle for five years of specialty training in Anesthesiology and Internal Medicine... we were again blessed with the arrival of our son, Sandy.
We were invited in 1973 to settle in the lovely Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, where we have enjoyed now 50 years of work and good living. We adopted 5 year old Russell (deceased 2019) and his 2 year old sister Carol Anne...from the Hesquiat Band, to complete our family.
Now in 2023, we have nine wonderful grandkids which we both love to bits... Jayne, Margo, Graeme, Rosie, Riley, Abi, Micah, Nick and Cecelia.
Joyce could well have taught a course in what was formally known as Home Economics... with lessons in the sewing room, projects coming from the knitting basket, in the kitchen—an accomplished cook and homemaker, and a welcome lap for bruised bodies and egos. Cribbage with the grandkids always brought rollicking laughter, particularly when someone had the cards to do the unthinkable to Grandma! She loved her many companion cats and dogs, many of them rescue, or adopted service dogs, and often requiring her nursing talents.
We travelled the world from Bonavista to Bergen, from Tasmania to Tantobie, from Carcasonne to Capadoccia, from Dingle to the Dordogne, from Akaroa to Antigonish, from Kamuela to Krakow, from Pienza to Penzance... but we always came back to our "Summercamp" in Saltair, with thanks for the safe harbour we call home.
Joyce was a major Philanthropist and two of her favourite beneficiaries were the Chemainus Theatre and Dog Guides Canada. A celebration of her remarkable life will be scheduled for a later date.
We are one
As young lovers
the stardust of our two souls fused to create new life.
Before you left I asked about
Our two souls reuniting to be one again
From two urns of stardust
on a raft of cedar boughs
Floated by the Salish Sea tide out
into its saline nursery
To create life anew.
You squeezed my hand
Don't hurry you said
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