Joanne Della HALL

1926 - 2020

JOANNE DELLA HALL June 1, 1926 - April 12, 2020 Portrait artist Joanne Della Hall (née Maddock) passed Easter Morning, April 12, 2020 at the age of 93. Joanne grew up in Toronto, attended Malvern Collegiate Institute and later the Ontario College of Art, as well as studies at the University of Toronto. A remarkable woman, Joanne was known even in her later years in the care home as a woman of dignity and class-a few residents even referring to her as "The Duchess". Perhaps contracting polio at the age of 29 gave her the strength and incentive to step out of the constraints of her time and her handicap. She opted for a vibrant and tenacious life dedicated to art and beauty. Her children recall the family home as being artfully découpaged with Renaissance paintings snipped from art books. During the 50's and 60's, she and her husband Robert Hall were an integral part of the burgeoning Canadian theatre scene. Joanne designed theatre sets and Robert's company Stage Craft constructed them for CBC, The Canadian Opera Company, The National Ballet of Canada, The Charlottetown Festival, and The Stratford Festival among others. In the 1980's, freed of her struggle for mobility by a wheeled scooter, and under the tutelage of master portrait painter, Jerry Scott, Joanne's artistic prowess bloomed as never before. Her richly insightful canvases grace the homes of families and friends and provide a constant reminder of how strength and courage overcome all weakness. And even as her physical abilities faded, Joanne adapted her media effortlessly from oils to water colours to crayons allowing her to bring to light the character and faces of her retirement home staff and residents. Some of Joanne's artwork can be viewed online at Joanndella's Passion (TinyURL.com/t84g6fg). She leaves two daughters, Michele and Julia, surviving son, Jason, grandchildren Jeremy MacDonald, Tristan Nixon, and Alexandra Moss, and her dearly loved cousin Marilyn Austen. Joanne is predeceased by her husband, Robert, and eldest son, Christopher. The extended family would like to pay special thanks to Julia, her husband Jeremy Allen and grandchildren Alexandra Moss and Jeremy MacDonald for maintaining vigil in her last week, thus allowing her to transition peacefully-despite the pandemic lockdown. The family would also like to thank the staff and volunteers at the Castleview Wychwood Towers for the care and support in the past six years helping turn the challenges of living in a long-term care centre into a home. Joanne was also grateful for the many personal relationships she had with fellow residents at the home. In lieu of a funeral, family members are holding a Zoom Sunday Dinner April 19, 2020 starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time in Toronto (4:30 Pacific Time for Vancouver and Los Angeles). The family will enthusiastically welcome calls from friends and others who would like to phone in and share a few words. For more information, email rsvp@jasonhall.ca. If desired, donations may be made to the Crisis Support for Women & Seniors During Covid-19 Pandemic (tinyurl.com/slbh3qk).