Obituary of Mrs. Joan Harvey
Our beloved mother, Joan, passed away peacefully and quietly on the evening of September 30, 2022 in her 96th year, at Extendicare Guildwood. She is survived by her son, Robert (Monique), her daughter, Janice and her favourite granddaughter, Erin (Joey). She is also survived by her first cousin, Alan Patterson and several nieces and nephews from the Patterson, Robinson and Harvey families.
Joan was preceded by Don, her devoted husband of 65 years, her mother, Laura Mae Patterson (nee Robinson), father, Alfred Patterson and two brothers, Pilot Officer Jack Patterson of the RCAF (1944 in France) and Danny Patterson, as well as many first cousins from her Patterson and Robinson families.
Joan was born on September 28, 1926, in St. George, New Brunswick the middle child and only daughter, to a school teacher and pulp and paper mill owner/operator. After she graduated from high school, she moved to Fredericton, where she started her career in banking. It was here, on July 1, 1946, at a Dominion Day Picnic, that she met her future husband, Don Harvey. They married on August 13, 1949 and started their family in Nashwaaksis, a suburb of Fredericton. Over the next several years, Joan left banking to be a stay-at-home-mom to their two children, Bob and Jan. When the family moved to Markham in 1970, she returned to the workforce at the Bank of Montreal where she remained until she retired at age 58.
In her retirement, Joan tapped into her artistic side. She wrote poetry and short stories and she took up painting. She was also an avid bridge player, much to her husband’s chagrin, as he was usually her hapless partner when they gathered at the homes of friends for monthly Bridge Nights. She even created her own form of Bridge Solitaire, which probably honed her skills as an expert player.
Joan loved to relax with a cup of tea and a good book. Her favourite author was LM Montgomery. She also loved to cook and collected recipes. She could be waiting in a doctor’s office and if she found a good recipe in a waiting room magazine, she grabbed a scrap piece of paper and wrote it down to try at her next dinner party.
Before her husband’s illness made it impossible to travel, they vacationed extensively throughout the US and Canada before discovering cruise holidays. Their dream trip was a three week cruise of the Hawaiian Islands to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Joan attended St. John’s United Church with her husband and while he sang in the choir, she headed the finance and collection counting team and was a member of their Bridge Club. She also took part in many social gatherings within her church community where she made many friends.
Joan’s ashes will be taken back to Fredericton, with her husband’s, to be interred in the Harvey plot. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Joan’s name, to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
