Joan Anne Marie Bailey Labillois

To Joan Anne Marie Bailey LaBillois, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Joan Anne, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Joan Anne really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Joan Anne was born on April 20, 1942 at Meriden Hospital in Meriden, Connecticut. Her parents were Bealda and Clarence Bailey. Joan Anne was raised in Plantsville, Connecticut. Even as a child, Joan Anne had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Joan Anne was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Joan Anne managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Joan Anne was raised with four siblings. She had three brothers, Al, Bill and James, and one older sister, Mary.

Joan Anne never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Joan Anne to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Joan Anne delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Joan Anne was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Joan Anne utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Later in life, she became friends with Eleanor, Gerry, Maggie and many others. Joan Anne loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Joan Anne very easy to approach. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Joan Anne related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Joan Anne was blessed with three children, three daughters, Joni, Colleen and Victoria. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Darrell, Sara, Kyle, Anne and Paul. Joan Anne had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Joan Anne's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Joan Anne had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Joan Anne was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Joan Anne liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Joan Anne was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Joan Anne's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Joan Anne as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was office administration.

Joan Anne enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Joan Anne liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were gardening, quilting, baking, painting and doings nice things for others. Joan Anne was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Living life in the fast lane suited Joan Anne just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included a tour of Ireland, attending Sue & Lloyd's wedding in the Dominican Republic with Eleanor, and a trip to New York City with her best buds.

Joan Anne was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Joan Anne's favorites was Sassy girl, a calico cat. They were best friends for 5 years. Her family was rounded out by her adopted stray cats, Charles, Alice, Miller, Mathilda, Rupert and the skunk, Camilla.

Joan Anne believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1995, Joan Anne took it in stride as one more way to have fun. Her new life involved relocating to Ocala, Florida. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Joan Anne remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in operating a landscaping company. Even in retirement, Joan Anne continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Joan Anne passed away on October 16, 2010 at Campbellton Regional Hospital. Joan Anne fought a short, but brave battle with cancer. She is survived by her daughters, Joni, Colleen and Victoria. Services were held at St. Anne's Church in Listuguj, Quebec. Joan Anne was laid to rest in Listuguj, Quebec.

Joan Anne brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Joan Anne Marie Bailey Labillois lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.