Joyce Harvey Wade

Passed away on Wednesday September 22, 2011 at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Born the youngest of six children to Grace and Frank Hunt at the family home "Rhee Gate", Iron Acton, Gloucestershire, England

Too young to have served in the war she watched all five of her older siblings go into uniform. John, Ken and Frank all served in the RAF, sister Joan went into nursing and Grace into the Land Army.

Early education was at the Filton School for Girls in Bristol, and much later business training at Sheridan College Oakville ON. Joyce was an accomplished equestrian from early days and never lost her love of horses. Having spent the war years in Gloucester she moved to Canada in 1952.

In 1974 two things happened, she met Robert Wade the love of her life and at the same time acquired a lifelong love of sailing, she and her husband campaigned their 23' sloop "Black Opal" for many years on the Lake Ontario race circuit of the Oakville Yacht Squadron. Later they were to acquire a 30' sloop "Season's Ticket", a fine vessel which they cruised on during many offshore adventures including two trips down the ICW and spending three winters happily living on board in the Bahamas and many other delightful anchorages.

A member of the IODE Oakville's Angela Bruce Chapter since 1958, she served as a volunteer all of the subsequent years. Part of her social life with the Chapter was participating in the ongoing bridge activity, she had a lifelong love of the game both with the IODE and other social groups.

She is survived by her husband Robert, son Christopher Dowding, daughter Philippa Dowding, step daughters Tana Litowski and Wendy Willson grandchildren Sarah and Ben Kemp and step grandchildren Amy Huziak, Theo, Ben, Max and Izzy Litowski.