Although you have passed on
Your memory forever stays
We remember how you smiled
And the joy you always gave 
We miss you all the time
And think of you everyday
Your love filled our world
And that love will never fade

We miss you mom - love you forever !! 


I’m so sorry to hear of your mom’s passing Laura. Your many years of caring for her in your home was a blessing to her I’m sure. You will have many fond memories of this time you and Andrew shared with her. 

I loved to hear Joyce laugh and boy did she laugh when I told her about the time my mom yelled at Laura like she was one of her own. We were up north at our cottage with my parents and brother which was most weekends in our teens. Laura decided to smoke some grass; you know the kind that you cut with the lawnmower. Well, she rolled it up in newspaper and lit it up. Later she felt sick from smoking that grass and when my mom found out why she felt sick... she yelled at the top of her lungs at her. Joyce seemed quite pleased that my mom yelled at Laura. She knew Laura was in good hands with my parents in charge and it was probably deserved.
The nine years that Joyce lived with Laura and Andrew brought us even closer. Joyce knew my parents, who were both gone. She often made mention of them which I felt very comforting. And she always asked how David my brother was doing. She said your parents would be very proud of you and David. She was kind loving and very thoughtful and certainly knew how to make a person feel good.
Laura, Andrew and other family members may you find peace in all your wonderful memories and pictures. Joyce was very proud of you all.
Laura's friend and partner in crime, Debbie Carter

In sharing our home with mom for the past 9 years, there is going to be so many big things but also little things missing from our lives.
Her tapping on the back door window and big wave and a smile when we are in the yard.
Us (and friends…Debbie) peeking in her back window to wave as she was sitting in her chair.
Watching fast money for Family Feud, special Sunday dinners, having outside dinners in the summer but running to show her something we bought or pictures of something we did I think will be the hardest. It was almost like we were little kids that way
I know the qualities above that she gave me will help as we look to find our way without her in our daily lives.
I only hope I gave her just as much in return and all of our love is held with her as she travels her on her journey and unites with my dad, brother, grandparents and sisters once again.
 
I love you forever mommy

She taught me how to be joyful, positive, find humour and enjoy the simple things in life
She was by far one of the most positive people I know. One of the things I will miss most is her wonder and exclamation over the simple thing’s, the beauty of a butterfly, a small flower, the antic’s of a chipmunk, a gift or card from a loved one or just simply a sunny summer day.
She loved her music and even on the darkest rainiest day, she could be found dancing around in the kitchen listening to Abba, Barry Manilow or Liberace. She’d even hum along to the music of one of the movie Western’s she loved so much, if the mood struck.
She could laugh and laugh, a conversation with her never went without at least one chuckle or giggle, no matter how short.
She gave that to me.
She taught me about growing old.
I think many of you here know this, growing old is not necessarily fun. Your mind says you can, your body says ‘hey wait a minute’. Mom had pretty severe arthritis, for which she only ever took aspirin. It would amaze me how she still got around and did pretty much everything for herself. For 90 we had very little to help her with or that she wanted help with. A favorite line was always, ‘oh I can do that, I need to keep going and do it for myself no matter how long it takes’.
Boy, I really hope she gave me that 😊
 
 

She taught me about love
My dad was the love of her life.
Did they fight sometimes – sure, of course. But they were also closer than pretty much any couple I’ve ever known. In later years, outside of work, the odd golf game or gym trip they rarely left the house without each other. They had a shared love of movies – the mutual favorite being Somewhere in Time.
It didn’t really matter what they were doing, they just wanted to be together and were committed to each other.
She gave that to me.
She taught me about strength and resilience.
It was so hard for her to lose her parents, sister Nancy and my dad all within a few years of each other. And her sister Betty had already passed away years earlier. These were a huge part of the centre of her universe and plans for the future, and the type of relationships her children couldn’t be able to fill.
She didn’t fall apart and she didn’t stop going, she learned the things she hadn’t done before and while missing them all so greatly, moved ahead and still found the strength to support others.
She gave that to me.
She taught me about independence (even though perhaps in this case its slightly misplaced)
I think back to when she was 81 or 82. She was still living at our childhood home on Lurgan. It was the fall and Andrew and I were going to be taking over some groceries on the weekend. I spoke to her on the phone earlier in the week and she asked if while we were there on Saturday could we clean out the gutters, we said absolutely.
We showed up on Saturday, put the groceries away and said we were going out back to grab the ladder to do the gutters.  Her reply ‘oh – ahhhhh…ya – I’ve already done them’.  
Yikes !
I probably don’t want to admit it – but I know I will be the same.
She gave that to me.

To Mom from Laura
 
What can I say about my mom, its hard to put it into a few short words as she’s given me so much.
I guess a theme of her presence in my life would be that a parent is supposed to guide and love and teach you. She did that so well for me.
 
She taught me about sacrificing for those you love.
My life as a child was pretty idyllic, while we didn’t have a lot of money my parents made sure we didn’t want for much, sacrificing for themselves so we could have what we needed but also some of what we wanted.
During the 60’s and early 70’s lots of women were leaving the stay at home mom role and going out to work, while my mom wanted to and my dad worked so hard as the sole supporter, she decided to remain at home – that was a sacrifice she made for our family, for me.
We had home cooked dinners, evenings enjoying the backyard, on off days for my dad trips to Wasaga, Lake Simcoe or a few days to Sauble or just a little picnic and fishing by a brook. When I was young it was coming home at lunch to grilled cheeses, tomato soup and the Flintstones.
These are such wonderful memories for me now.
She gave that to me.
 
She taught me about loving nature, all creatures, all people
When I was young our house seemed to frequently have some random injured bird or animal, many could not be saved but some we did and they were given new life. She loved caring for these creatures. She would have loved to travel to Africa, the animals and land held a special draw for her. I guess that’s partly why her favorite movie of all time was Out of Africa (although I’m sure Robert Redford being in it helped!)
She loved most everyone I recall her meeting. She didn’t care if you were white or black, Christian or Jewish, straight or gay, if you were a good person – that was all that mattered to her.
She gave that to me.

She was always so present in the moment, always listening intently with wonder and awe in what you had to say, like you are the most important person in the world.
We used to do a lot of show and tell and include her in things like gardening that she could no longer do,  to get her opinions. Whenever we bought plants for the garden, we’d take them around back and she’d come out to take a look and discuss where we were putting them, in part our property looks so wonderful thankful to her. After her afternoon nap, she’d come out and sit in her chair to watch us garden or swim or she would tap on the window with a wave and the biggest smile
We’d discuss what to get for birthdays or Christmas and after the purchase I’d take them downstairs for her to see.
Or we’d simply just be sharing photo’s, little gourmet food items or stories about where we’d been.
Even though she found it hard to get out to do many of these things she still always wanted to hear about them and share in them.
 
She loved her animals, be it wild or pets.
Watching the birds or other animals outside her window were a favorite pass time, often viewed through her binoculars to get an up close peek.
She found such joy in her pets. The first two years she was with us she had her beloved dog Molly. She got such joy in seeing Molly go out for a walk with us when she wasn’t able to take her – even just the ones around the backyard.
After Molly passed way in 2015, she had a new companion cat Autumn. Autumn was timid but loved being around people – Friday night was ball on a string night. She just loved watching Autumn tear across the room or leap in the air after the ball while she chanted ‘Get it! Get it Autumn!
 
She brought so much joy to our lives – such a positive and good person as a mom and dear friend – You could go into a room with her, and regardless of how you were feeling going in, you could always count on having a smile during your time with her.

She loved simple traditions, old and new
We started a lot of new traditions once she moved in with us and she was a huge part of so many aspects of our lives.
She was a little bit of a game show addict - we’d watch nightly Family Feud, or just about any other game show all of which she loved.
Being in her 80’s at the time she watched quite a bit of TV. If we weren’t there with her, she would call upstairs to us when there was a show on that she thought we would be interested in, our own personal TV guide.
We all went out for scenic drives, checking out the budding spring trees and flowers, up to Lake Simcoe, out to see the fall colours and we started doing an annual Christmas tour of Lights.
Having been an excellent athlete when she was younger, she continued to love sports. Particularly, the Olympics we’d watch it every time straight from opening ceremony, all types of events through to the closing.   And yes, she still loved the Leaf’s, and as we all are, she was ever hopeful for a Stanley Cup.    At least being 90 she was one of the few who could actually remember them winning one 😊
Sunday dinners were a tradition from the past that we revived. We’d all had special Sunday dinners growing up that slowly stopped over the years.
 
During these dinners, I really got to know Joyce. While Laura was prep’ing dinner we’d talk about so many things. Stories of dad Gord’s trips out to the east coast and Scotland to learn more about the family history. We would chat about our mutual families and think there most be some deep down relationship there due to so many shared interests  - gardening, love of pets, food (both cooking and eating), music and movies, which included a lot of the older dance and musicals. She had so many of the same interests as my own parents.
During many of these conversations I’d ask for or receive timely and sage advice. Even if I didn’t always agree just then, after time to reflect I’d come to the conclusion that she was right.

Memories of my mom Joyce from Andrew (son-in-law)
 
As I thought back around the time I spent with my mom Joyce, I realized that I have known her a little bit longer than I knew my own mom who passed away in 1992.  So, she truly has been a second mother to me.
She loved ‘home’, and was warm, friendly and welcoming.
I met Joyce for the first time at the house on Lurgan during the Christmas season in 1993. Christmas there soon became a tradition with the full course meal, lots of seconds and the Christmas Crackers including the little prize and hats……and yes, you always had to wear the hat!   It was a tradition for both me and my dad Don, as Joyce always made sure to have my dad there too, knowing he was on his own.  
In later years the trips to Lurgan were to help with grocery shopping. Mom knew all the staff in the store by name, which worked in her benefit as they would always make her sandwiches just the way she wanted.
She and my dad shared the passion of having the perfect lawn. Always trimmed and weed free. When her little Oak was planted out by the street, she nursed it into a beautiful tree. After the house was sold and then torn down, Laura and I used to drive by to take pictures, she used to love seeing the development of the new dwelling and her Oak tree.
She began living with us in Newmarket in 2013. I think the particular house we’d bought made her feel especially comfortable as we discovered when we were purchasing it that it was previously owned by Bob Ballard (Dr Ballard’s dog food fame), who was at one point Joyce’s uncle.
So, it was already a little like a family home.

To Joyce from Debbie (Laura’s lifelong friend)
I had the honor of knowing Joyce Walkinshaw for approximately 46 years. We first met when I was around the age of 12, which was the age she often accused Laura and I of still acting!! This phrase was often used by Joyce (or Mommie as Laura and I would call her) when we shared our adventures with her. It was usually something silly, which rarely happened (wink, wink) But it was this simple phrase that had become the source of much laughter between us.
It was also the little things, that brought much joy to her life; like Autumn her cat. Not long after adopting Autumn, I was over for a visit. If you knew Autumn, you knew she didn’t like people in her space. This visit Autumn decided to let me pat her on the head. Joyce was so proud of Autumn that day, she was beside herself. Her pets were a big part of her life and they adored her.
I enjoyed buying her gifts for various occasions which she appreciated to no end and told me I didn’t need to buy her anything. For her 90th birthday I gave her a pumpkin with twinkly lights in it. Her favorite season was fall so I knew she’d enjoy looking at it. When it was almost Christmas Laura told me, “mom won’t let me put the pumpkin away”. It made me feel so happy that she loved her pumpkin.
Whenever we went to Laura and Andrew’s house that was a visit with “mommie”. If we arrived in the afternoon I would wave through her window. She always waved back with a big smile. Then after dinner Laura and I would pop down for a visit. Usually, a retro tv show would be on and I could never hear a word they were saying. One time I asked Laura, can your mom hear the tv? Laura laughed and said, “she sure can”. I felt like I was deaf. I think Joyce had supersonic hearing.


The world has lost such a sweet, kind and funny lady.
Her living with Andrew and I the past 9 years brought a new depth of closeness, as adults, that we may not have experienced otherwise and for that we will always be truly grateful. 
For me she was more than my mother, she was one of the best friends I ever had. 
For Andrew she was a second mother. 

Being 90 she had a great and wonderful life, yet in her quick passing she still left us way too soon. 

She was one of the happiest and most up beat people I have ever met. 
Truly taking the time to appreciate the small things, the wonder of nature and good laugh. 

So many things over the coming days will be both sad and comforting as we try to find our way without her in our daily lives. 
Andrew, Sprite, Autumn and I, as well as all those that knew you, will love and cherish you forever. 

Finding solace in knowing she'll again be with my dad, brother, her parents and sisters (likely getting up to trouble) 

We love you 
Sleep well my sweet mom

I was introduced to Joyce, Gordon Sr and the Walkinshaw family in 1966.    I believe Laura was 2 years old at the time. I joined them through marriage to Gordon Jr in 1975. We increased the clan by two children: Jessica in 1977 & Robert in 1981. Throughout the years Joyce always maintained a welcoming, engaging smile and a warm Hello. This was especially so at family gatherings: dinners, holidays, weddings, baptisms and funerals. I know that she will be missed by many people.

OBITUARY

Joyce Marie Walkinshaw

September 25, 1931 – May 29, 2022

Kane-Jerrett Funeral Homes

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