Joan McGinnis 2 Sept 1916-22 Jan 2009

My mother
Joan McGinnis
2 Sept 1916-22 Jan 2009



My mother passed away early this morning. I saw her yesterday in the hospital. When I went to kiss her goodbye, it was difficult to manouever around her tubes and machines. She tried to raise her head, and my glasses hit her cheek. She laughed at our bumping of heads. As I left she smiled and waved. I'm glad I have that nice last memory of her. This is her obituary:

Joan Dorien Edith McGinnis passed away peacefully in Lakeridge Health Hospital in Bowmanville Ontario on Thursday January 22, 2009. She was 92 years old. Born in Guelph Ontario on 2 September 1916 to parents Charles Fuller & Ruth Simpson, she married Cecil McGinnis (who predeceased her in 1960) in Guelph in 1936.

Joan moved to Ajax Ontario and worked in the Munitions Factory during WW2, then as a Medical Secretary. She later lived in a Winnebago with her mother and sister Lillian, travelling throughout Canada and USA. In later years she moved to British Columbia with her companion Godfrey Harwood (who pre-deceased her in 1994), then returned to Whitby Ontario where she lived with her sister Lillian Bonar (who pre-deceased her in 2004). Joan lived on her own in an apartment in Whitby until her death. In recent years Joan joined a Writing Club and was working on her memoirs when she fell ill.

At age 80, Joan became an avid traveller and journeyed to many places including Australia, China, S. Africa, Russia and England. On her last trip to Australia at age 85 she hiked and camped in the Australian outback. Joan lived life to the fullest and leaves behind 2 sons Larry & David, 2 daughters Charleen & Lorine, a younger sister Eileen and an uncle Walter. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are numerous.