Joan Canuel

1932 - 2020

Passed away peacefully at the Perth Hospital on Sunday, March 8, 2020 in her 88th year. Marilyn was predeceased by her dear parents, Peter and Luella Taillon (née Keast), siblings, Donald, Shirley (Staudenmeier) and Raymond, her beloved husband Albert Augustine (Gus), and her cherished eldest son James (Jim). Mum will be deeply mourned by her devoted children Gregory, Camilla (Jon) Goobie, and Chris, and by her loving grandchildren, Kaede and Momiji Canuel and Jim and Charlotte Goobie, as well as her many nieces, nephews and friends. Marilyn was born in Barrie, Ontario on November 13th, 1932, the eldest of four children. Her family settled in Kingston where her father completed his military service. She attended Notre Dame convent school where she met several of her lifelong friends. Through her youth, she spent many happy years at the family resort, Elm Lodge, in Seeley's Bay. Marilyn studied at Queen's from 1951-1955 and worked at Fort Henry during her school years. After touring Europe, she returned to Kingston, where she worked at Bell Telephone, and eventually moved on to follow her vocation at the Toronto Public Library. She fell in love with and married Gus, and they moved to Ottawa. It was here that they started their family and soon after moved to Perth, where Gus began teaching at PDCI and Marilyn raised their family. She became involved in myriad volunteer activities and still managed to find time to bake cookies each day for her four kids. Marilyn was actively involved in the GWM Hospital Auxiliary and St. John's PTA; was a member of the Catholic Women's League for half a century; drove patients to the Cancer Clinic in Kingston for many years; and canvassed for multiple charities, collecting thousands of dollars over 40 years of volunteering with the Heart and Stroke and Cancer Society. During these years, Mum spent many happy summers at the family cottage in Westport. When her children were older, Mum went back to work. She joined the staff at the Perth Library, where she happily worked for 10 years, retiring in 1994, only to begin volunteering there that same year. She and Dad then enjoyed great trips to Portugal, Mexico and Vancouver. After Dad's death, Mum continued travelling, visiting Japan and many destinations in Canada on her own and joining her lifelong friends on many international and domestic adventures. Mum loved her family, friends, and laughter. She enjoyed walking, reading, doing crossword puzzles (especially with Gus), and wholeheartedly supporting her children in all their athletic and scholastic endeavours. Mum was a devoted grandmother who travelled across the world and Canada to be with her grandchildren. Marilyn was a true lady, possessed of a keen intellect, who lived her life in a spirit of joy and kindness. Friends may pay their respects at the Blair & Son Funeral Home, 15 Gore St. West, Perth on Wednesday, March 11th, 2020 from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John's Catholic Church on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Interment St. John's Cemetery. In remembrance of Marilyn, contributions to the Lanark County Cancer Society Wheels of Hope or the Alzheimers Society of Lanark County and the would be appreciated.