Joan "Elizabeth" MacDONALD

MacDONALD - (Elizabeth) Joan nee Simms February 29, 1932 - November 7th 2015 MacDonald - (Elizabeth) Joan (nee Simms) passed away peacefully at the Irene Thomas Hospice in Ladner on Saturday November 7th after enduring a long battle with Dementia and Alzheimer's. Her deep faith in God helped guide her during this and many other difficult times during her life. She was wife and best friend to her late husband Ted for 54 years; sister to surviving siblings Hayward (Jo), Tom (Marion), Liz (Don) and Lorraine (Doug); mother to Gary (Karen), Heather (Dean), Janice and Mike (Karen); grandmother to Julie (George), Andrew, Mickey, Cory, Wade, Danelle, Callan and like a grandmother to Jon; great grandmother to: Colton and Midori. Joan was the eldest of eight children whose parents - Hayward and Eileen were among the first settlers (1927) to arrive in Buchans- a mining town in the heart of Newfoundland. At age 18, Joan left to seek her fortune in the mainland and worked as a medical secretary to a doctor who looked after the Toronto Argonaut Football Team. She met her love of her life - Ted in 1954 on a blind date and was impressed with his sense of ethics, his regard for his parents and his sense of adventure (and it helped that he was a good dancer). They were married in 1955 and, raised their family together in Burlington Ontario. Together they danced, played bridge, curled, travelled, raised kids, and coached all manner of their children's sports teams. Their summers off were spent travelling across Canada and later they spent 35 wonderful summers at Pigeon Lake. Joan supported not only Ted but also her daughter in numerous Municipal elections as she knocked on thousands of doors in both communities as well as volunteered for Canadian Mental Health and Children's Aid society. Later, Joan went back to school to become an audiologist. When one of life's mishaps came her way, Joan would either find the humour in it to share with others or square her shoulders and say 'onwards and upwards'. It was one of her most endearing qualities. Joan's joy of life, sense of adventure, laughter, generosity and loving ways will be missed by all. A Celebration of life will be held on Saturday November 21st at South Delta Baptist Church at 10:30am. Please wear bright colours. In lieu of flowers, Joan has requested simple acts of kindness to others in her memory. Those wishing to make a donation may be made to the Alzheimer's Society at www.alzheimer.ca Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.myalternatives.ca