Katherine Joyce Steen

She will be lovingly missed by her children, Robert (Cathy), Gary (Roxanne), Scott, Grandchildren, William (Donna), Jennifer (Kevin), Michelle (Ryan), Greg (Kendall), and Great-Grandchildren, Kyle, Dawson, Emma, Kaylee, and Nolan.

Joyce was born in Winnipeg on January 19, 1925, to George and Ella McEwen. The youngest of three children, she attended school in Deer Lodge and excelled at track and baseball (backcatcher). She married the love of her life, Andries (Andy) Steen, in 1954, and together had three boys: Robert, Gary, and Scott. Tragically Andries died in a car accident in 1959 and Joyce never remarried, raising the three boisterous kids on her own.

Joyce enjoyed early years at the island cabin on the Lake of the Woods and tenting at West Hawk Lake. She loved playing golf, bowling, cards with her friends, enjoying music and live theatre, reading and crossword puzzles. Joyce always had a busy social calendar.

Her love of life, family, friends, and sports remained her hallmarks. She kept in touch with many friends and former co-workers from her days at Blue Cross, Welcome Wagon, and Sun Life for her entire life. Joyce was an avid sports fan, having season tickets for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for decades, and following curling, Canadian Womens’ Soccer, figure skating, and golf. Her television was permanently tuned to TSN.

She was a long-time member of the United Church congregations at Deer Lodge, Westminster, Norwood, and now St. Mary’s Road churches, Joyce sang in the choir for many decades and participated in numerous groups and committees.

Joyce enjoyed travelling the world. She particularly enjoyed cruises in the Carribean, Northern Europe, Russia, the Mediterranean, and Asia, and travel to Australia, Zealand, throughout the U.S. and Canada. She said she only stopped traveling because her garage needed a new roof!

Joyce selected this passage for her obituary:

Goodbye to my family, my life has passed

I love you all to the very last

Weep not for me, but courage take

Love each other for my sake

For those you love do not go away

They walk beside you every day

A life well-lived, a person well-loved.

The family extends appreciation to the incredible staff at the Seven Oaks Hospital, Parkview Place, and Concordia Place for their kind, professional care during the last 18 months.

According to her wishes, cremation has taken place, Joyce will be interred near Andy at Waverley Memorial Gardens, and no formal service will be held.