In April 1956, JoAnne Powers was welcomed into the world by her parents, Madeleine and James Powers of Chepstow, Ontario.
She was number six in their family of seven children. JoAnne called her childhood idyllic and treasured the memories of a simple life, independently roaming the village and playing games and pranks with friends. Away from home, JoAnne’s favourite place was the family cottage on Lake Huron. She enjoyed swimming, bonfires, sunsets, and walks on the beach to find sparkly stones and beach glass to carry home. JoAnne was athletic from an early age and a valuable player on baseball, volleyball, and basketball teams. After high school in Walkerton, JoAnne studied geography at Wilfrid Laurier University and turned down offers from city and varsity teams so she could focus on her studies. During summers, she enjoyed working on student crews for the local conservation authority. JoAnne’s love of the outdoors and hands-on work was helpful to Dad, but she wasn’t happy when he left her floating on a farm wagon in a flooded gravel pit that she warned was too deep to drive through. After university, JoAnne completed teachers’ college in North Bay. She enjoyed teaching and hearing from former students that she’d made a positive impact on their lives.
When JoAnne left teaching to stay home full-time in Orillia, and later Tara, she threw her energy into raising four great children, running a part-time business, and helping to manage the farms. Like her Mom, JoAnne knew how to stretch a household budget and finish home-sewn outfits just hours before special occasions. JoAnne was artistic and created beautiful calligraphy, sketches, paintings and more. She was also a handy-woman-extraordinaire fixing household items and refinishing furniture and woodwork. JoAnne enjoyed gardening, collecting angel ornaments, reading books, and listening to a wide range of music. Throughout her life, JoAnne thoughtfully helped friends and family through difficulties and it’s a mystery how she found the time. In her own struggles, JoAnne’s deep faith in God gave her strength. She believed that the meaning of life was having a connection and personal relationship with God. She saw Jesus as someone who truly cares about us and this gave her life a strong foundation. In her early fifties, JoAnne was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s Disease. She charged on with life but eventually, the symptoms became serious. However, if Parkinson’s thought JoAnne could easily be brought down, it was very wrong. She persevered through many setbacks, sometimes bouncing back better than before, and leading her children to joke that she had nine lives. The Owen Sound chapter of the Parkinson’s Society provided great support and JoAnne made lots of friends there. She enjoyed the exercise program, learned how to box, and walked in their annual fundraiser. Several years ago, a doctor suggested it was time for JoAnne to live in a long-term care facility. Maybe not surprisingly, she resisted and, with the help of family, JoAnne regained independent living in Hanover for one year. But Parkinson’s continued to invade her body and mind, and at the young age of 65, JoAnne moved to Grey Gables in Markdale. Even as her health declined, JoAnne’s cheeky sense of humour persisted and she brought many smiles and chuckles to family, friends, and staff. Following a family vigil of prayer, songs, and stories, JoAnne passed away on June 19, 2023, due to kidney failure, one of many complications caused by Parkinson’s.
JoAnne really loved being a Mom and her mischief, humour, determination, love of beaches, and music can be seen in each of her four children: Curtis, Melissa, Amanda (Devin), and Allison (Braeden). She was proud to be a grandmother to Liam, James, and Bowen. Also deeply missing JoAnne are her siblings: Pat (Jerry, 2014), Loretta (Brian), Mike (Theresa), Eileen, Brian, and Helen (John), and many nieces, nephews, friends, and cousins. Rest now, JoAnne. The fight and struggles are finally over. Your strength has been inspiring and you will be greatly missed and always loved. We are so grateful that you were part of our lives.
For those who wish to make a donation in the memory of JoAnne Powers, the family suggests the Parkinson Society of Southwestern Ontario.
On Friday, June 23, at the Brian E. Wood Funeral Home in Owen Sound, a wake will be held at 10:00 a.m., the funeral will follow at 11:00 a.m., and a lunch will start at noon.
