Joan Bruce CREIGHTON

CREIGHTON, Joan Bruce (nee Ritchie) September 29th, 1929 - May 13th, 2010 My dear wife, Joanie, died peacefully in the Palliative Care Unit of the Lions Gate Hospital on May 13th, 2010, after a long battle with Leukemia. She leaves her loving husband, Denis, numerous cousins across Canada, her faithful ""Yorkie"" terrier, Fala, and many caring and supportive friends. Joan attend York House School for 8 years, graduating in 1946 as Head Girl. She would return some years later to serve for 9 years as a Governor of the Board of Directors and for 5 years as Chair of the School's Foundation. Joan graduated from UBC with a BA in English which started her on a life-long but losing battle against its (no, not it's) misuse and dangling participles. Joan and Denis met in San Francisco in 1960 and were married in October of that year. For the next 45 years, or so, Joan served on a number of non-profit and Civic Boards, including the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, the Western Gold Theatre, the E. Fry Society, and the Vancouver Museum and Planetariam. She was President of the Junior League of Vancouver, Governor, Chair and Honorary Governor of the Leon & Thea Koerner Foundation. She also served as a Director of the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation and Director and Chair of the West Vancouver Memorial Library Board. Joan was a long time member of Capilano Golf and Country Club, and served as Women's Captain. She was always a better golfer than her husband and threatened him with bodily harm if he ever had a hole in one before she did. He didn't, but she managed to do it twice - same day, same hole, same tournament, one year apart. After a successful battle with breast cancer in 1999, Joan took up dragon boat racing with the Abreast in a Boat Society. In 2007, at the age of 78, she participated in an International Regatta celebrating Australia's 10th Anniversary of Australians' Abreast Society. Joan's crew, now called the North Shore Dragon Busters finished 4th out of the 77 crews, missing third place by seconds. No words can express Denis's heartfelt thanks to Dr. Paul Klimo, and to our longtime doctor and friend, Dr. Paul Sugar, to the caring staff of the Chemo Unit, and the loving and caring men and women of the nursing and volunteer staff of the Palliative Care Unit at Lions Gate Hospital. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation Palliative Care Program would be appreciated. A reception celebrating Joanie's life, will occur at the Capilano Golf and Country Club at a later date.