With sadness we announce the passing of Joan Elizabeth Williams on 15 May, 2025, one month shy of her ninety-ninth birthday. We take solace, however, knowing that she is now with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Joan was born on 28 June, 1926 in Winnipeg, Manitoba the daughter of Walter Alfred Haughton of London, England and Mary Hattie Lillian McNicol of Oakland, Manitoba, and sister of her older sister Donna. From a young age she showed a talent for music, eventually landing her own half hour radio segment singing on a local Winnipeg station, and her charisma and natural charm won her the title of "Miss Winnipeg" as a young woman. Soon after beginning her career as a radiographer in Winnipeg, she met and married her husband George Joseph Williams of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and together they relocated to Toronto to raise a family and expand George's family business, the Creamette Macaroni Company of Minneapolis. They settled in Toronto's Kingsway neighbourhood, where they enjoyed their lives and new community. Joan lived in her Kingsway home for a number of decades. However, George's untimely death at thirty-seven years old left Joan with four young children to raise on her own; a task she devoted herself to wholly and dutifully, for the rest of her life. To each of her children; Jim Williams (deceased), Shane Williams, Patrick Williams (Donna Shipowick) and Michele Bell (Nicolas Bell) she was not only their mother, but their closest friend. From young widow, Joan grew into venerated matriarch, and was blessed with seven grandchildren: Robert Williams (Deanna Rebellato), Sarah Williams Ball (Chris Ball), Katie Williams O'Connor (Dalton O'Connor), Malcolm Bell, Warren Williams (Kim Williams), Meagan Bell and Jason Williams. She developed a unique, personal, and impactful relationship with each of her grandchildren, always a presence in all their lives despite some living a great distance away. For her great-grandchildren, Maggie, Frank, Jackson, and Charlotte, a visit to see "Grandma Joan" was a joyous occasion. Every one of Joan's progeny brought her much joy and pride and her dedication to them was unwavering. Her great influence on them shall continue beyond her passing.

Joan was truly one of a kind, possessing a staggering combination of strength, beauty, intelligence, humour, curiosity, class, and social skills rarely found in a single person. The unwaning strength of character required to raise four children on her own should be a marvel to the modern parent. Joan didn't just cope with life when she lost her husband, inspired by her adventurous spirit she packed up her four young children and moved them all to Italy for eighteen months. Her sharp wit, and gleeful willingness to participate in a joke left participants and onlookers of every stripe giggling wherever she went. An elite and willing conversationalist, Joan always listened with attention and empathy, and generously responded with intelligence and insight gleaned from her varied experience. She travelled extensively and read widely, and could thereby cover subjects deeply; from finance, politics, and history, to current events, culture, her Christian faith, or whatever you might be interested in. A fount of wisdom, she was often consulted by her family and friends for advice, which she gave freely and thoughtfully. She exuded class and was a stickler for manners often taking pains to ensure those under her influence had the foremost training in ettiquette and propriety. She was a style maven, with a highly curated closet and discerningly decorated home. She was a natural beauty, both outer, and especially inner: deeply kind, compassionate and genuine. Her generosity was cast widely, from those closest to her to those that never learned her name. Joan was the model for how to age with grace and acceptance. Even as her hearing and vision degraded, she never lost focus on her faith and her family--the most important things to her--and chose to face even the toughest of times with humour and humility. She was much loved and she loved much and will be missed by many.

A Celebration of Joan's life will be held on Wednesday May 28th at 11:00 am at Arkell Road Bible Chapel, 51 Arkell Road, Guelph, On. N1L 1G8, Refreshments to follow.