Obituary of Joan Evelyn Miners
MINERS, Joan Evelyn
Joan Evelyn Miners, second daughter of Arthur and Sidney Frances Macaw of Winnipeg, Manitoba and beloved wife of the late Kenneth Andrew Miners, peacefully departed this life age 96 at home in Harrow (South Colchester) Ontario, Wednesday evening, September 6th, 2017, following a family gathering with all her surviving children and grandchildren, her daughter Susan and Susan's god daughter, Karen Waters, by her side. Joan was born December 14th, 1920, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, loved sports, the lake, the classics and had an affinity for animals…horses, rabbits, cats and especially dogs (Woggles, Rasty, Barney, Happy, Daemon, Cora), and in her teen years became a Gold Cord Girl Guide. She was profoundly moved by the onset of WWII when she was 19 years of age, when many of her friends went overseas to serve. She registered as a volunteer with Greater Winnipeg Bureau of Canadian Women for community and war work, took courses in First Aid and Auto Mechanics, and through the University of Manitoba obtained a Bachelor of Science (1942), majoring in Chemistry. Joan served the Government of Canada (CIL) during the war, making munitions to send overseas. While working for CIL at Nitro, Quebec she met her husband, Ken, a chemical engineer, and they married in October 1944. At wars end Ken and Joan moved to Saskatchewan so Ken could work with his father in Miners' Construction. There, Joan became a Girl Guide Commissioner, welcomed Lady Baden Powell to Canada and gave birth to her daughter Susan on Baden Powell's birthday, in 1947. In 1948 Joan, Ken and Susan moved east and joined a number of Ken and Joan's Nitro friends in the Saguenay region (Arvida) of Quebec, where Ken worked for ALCAN (now known as Rio-Tinto), and where Joan gave birth to Ian, Cindy and Drew and over the years worked as a local news Editor, Chief Make up Artist and Costume designer for community productions of Gilbert and Sullivan Musicals, and served as quarter master at the local Guide Camp, while raising her children, teaching them to love books, nature and think for themselves. Joan loved gardening, and with Ken and her children assisting she created attractive gardens in each location where she lived. She was an avid sailor, badminton and tennis player, bridge player, skier, and birder and enjoyed the classics, history and genealogy. She participated as member and in leadership positions in her home town arts council and horticultural society's. She leaves behind a treasure of information regarding our family roots and numerous exquisitely creative and beautiful pieces of handwork and art. She also leaves a home much better than she found it. Joan's siblings, Patricia and Ken Macaw have preceded her in departing this life, as has her beloved daughter, Cindy and her niece Dorothy. Joan will be dearly missed by her entire tribe: sons, Ian and Drew, daughter Susan, grand daughter Sara and grandson Ryan, daughters'-in-law Ruby (Ian) and Robin (Drew), sister-in-law Donna (brother Ken) and her many nieces and nephews: Sidney and Arthur (Ken and Donna), and from her husband Ken's side of the family, his brother Everett's children: Roger, Pauline, Stephen, Gwen, and Arthur Miners; His sister Luella's children : Kathy and Jim Douglas, Marion and David Stephenson, Patricia and Douglas Fowler, Paul Wilkinson (Dorothy) and all the younger generation and their children. Thank you so much, Mom/Aunt Joan/Gran, and larger community Friend…for being there for all of us, through thick and thin and showing us a life lived well. We honor the Spirit of God with in you. Joan's family is profoundly grateful to the caregivers from the VON, CCAC, Paramed, CarePartners, Bayshore, Hospice ,911 and Hometown Family Pharmacy. You were awesome! Joan's life celebration will be held at the Church of the Epiphany, 106 Main St. W Kingsville on Saturday September 30th 2017 at 11:00a.m. A reception will follow the service in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers please donate to the charity of your choice.
