It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Joyce Campbell on the evening of February 19th at home, surrounded by family. Joyce was predeceased by her parents Thomas and Leone Fleming, her brother Glen, sister Hazel and by Harold, her husband of 51 years. She is survived by her sister Nora Pagan. She leaves behind to mourn four children: Jo-Anne (Ed) Ivanisko, Bob (Pat) Campbell, Karen (Colin) Weinbender, and Burt (Jane) Campbell; her nine granchildren: Dyson (Shara), Auburn, Yari, Kali, Jenna, Ashley, Scott, Ben, Todd and five great-granchildren: Nick, Katie, Charlette, Lily and Mia.
Joyce was born and raised in Kenora, Ontario on the Lake of the Woods. She set off to Winnipeg for nursing school in 1950 and graduated in 1953. Her first job was in Thunder Bay, ON where she met Harold. They were married in 1954 and lived in Geraldton and Atikokan, ON and then settled in Campbell River in 1966 where she was an R.N. at Campbell River General Hospital.
What do you say about a woman like our mother and grandmother? Nothing got in her way or got her down. She always saw the glass as half full. Family was the most important thing in Joyce's life. She never missed a sporting or school event that her children or grandchildren were involved in.
Boating was our family's passion with every free moment being spent on the ocean. Joyce and Harold made countless trips on the coastal waters of British Columbia, Alaska and Washington State. They spent their retirement years boating the Eastern seaboard, as far south as Florida and had many good years in the Bahamas. She was a world traveller, seeing more than twenty countries and travelling right up until she became ill. Joyce thought nothing of driving her huge motorhome out camping well into her eighties! That's when she took up kayaking and said that if she was a little younger, she would kayak around Vancouver Island. Being a master Quilter, we each have a quilt to treasure, adding up to over thirty quilts in all. Joyce was a competitive skier at the National level when she was young and continued skiing right into her seventies. Other important aspects in Joyce's life were the Genealogy Club, her Stitch and B**ch Group, her love of gardening and of course, her many friends. She will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Maritime Heritage Centre on Saturday, February 28 from 1:00-3:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joyce's name to the Campbell River Genealogy Society, 621 Island Highway, CR, V9W-4C7