Joan Alma Sanderson (nee Corbould) passed peacefully on November 17, 2022, surrounded by love and prayers, and completely on her own terms at the age of 93. Joan aka, Mom, Joanie, Auntie Joan, G’ma, GG’ma, the Hot Sauce Granny, to name but a few fought valiantly, although her health issues over the past year may have taken her strength, her fighting spirit remained. Fiercely independent, she was in control to the end.
Born in Kamloops, BC with twin sister Margie, the “most unalike twins” were the middle of six children of Charles Edward Bernard and Alma Hetty Corbould.
Joan is survived by her children: Penny (Stewart) Holmes, Ian (Sharon) and Margie (Jim) Moore of St. Albert, AB, and Frank (Susan) and Debbie (Marek) Godlewski of Rothesay, NB; grandchildren: Geoff (Lori), Stephen (Linda), Kim (Matt), Anna, David (Ashley), Amy (Damien), Mary-Claire (Ian), Bevan (Katie), Meighan, Kelsie, Aleksander (Shannon), Elise (Chris), Adam (Moriah), Colan (Cassiya) and Evan; and great grandchildren Adalyn, Annabel, Emmett, Julia, Rowan, Emmy, Leo, Marceline and Wally; Brother Brian (Barbara) Corbould of Port Coquitlam and sister Margaret Francis of Coquitlam. She will also be missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Joan was predeceased by her parents and sisters: Betty McGregor, Norah Klett and Pat Hasselfelt; in-laws: Jim, Colin, Inky, Cy, Gordon, Mary, Wineva, Bruce, parents-in-law Lundy and Margaret and her former husband Lundy Sanderson.
A proud graduate of Kamloops High School (1947) and the Royal Jubilee Hospital School of Nursing in Victoria (1951), Mom was committed to a life of caring and service. She was a lifelong volunteer, serving with the Jaycees, the New Westminster YWCA, SHARE and the Anglican Church of Canada. Joan was invested into the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster in 2013 nominated by the Parish of St. Laurence, Coquitlam.
Here is her Citation:
Joan’s ministry at St. Laurence has been extensive. She has worked in many different aspects of community life and is known to always be quick to offer assistance wherever needed. Her big smile and warm welcome has been a gift to many newcomers to the parish.
Returning to work after raising her children, she nursed at the Como Lake Hospital in Coquitlam until her retirement in 1996. Joan continued her volunteering at St. Laurence Church and the SHARE Food Bank into her 90’s. She made a point to say thank you, to welcome a stranger - and to be sure that her children and grandchildren learned to do the same. Always up for an adventure, Joan travelled the world with family and friends over the years. Family was her life and she travelled throughout Canada to visit her children and other family. Wherever she was, she made friends easily, was always interested to learn from others or share her sense of humour.
In 2013, she began acting in commercials, most notably in the Frank's Red Hot Saunce commercials. Although she didn’t like “that word”, she did enjoy it on most things.
We would like to thank those who accompanied her through her challenges – the staff of Parkwood, Coquitlam; and River Ridge and Comfort Keepers, St. Albert; and the care teams at hospitals in Coquitlam, Edmonton and Saint John, NB. A celebration of Joan’s life will be held in Coquitlam, BC at a later date, when the sun and flowers are out. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the BC Cancer Foundation, the MS Society of Canada, the Alzheimer Society of Canada, or to your local foodbank.
IMAGE
Joan Sanderson, ODNW photographed at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver on Sunday, November 3, 201, the day she was invested into the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster
Photo: Wayne Chose