Jo-Anne Marie Price

Jo-Anne was born in Windsor, Ontario, on May 28th, 1939. She was the eldest of five children: John (also known as Sonny), Gail (deceased), Patricia and Eric. Her first language was French as her mother Anne, came from the French quarter of Windsor and she was born there rather than Toronto, where her parents lived, because her grandmother and many aunts who lived there could help with the new baby. Her father, John Joseph Charlton, was of English extraction and had come to Windsor from Peterborough to work in the burgeoning car industry. This was where Jo-Anne’s parents met at a Ford company picnic.

By the time Jo-Anne went to school in Toronto she had forgotten most of her French and was speaking English. She spent her childhood around the Sunnybrook Hospital neighbourhoods with her oldest friend Margo. Margo remained a true friend, keeping in touch since grade school. She made many trips to visit Jo-Anne at Amica, which were a highlight of Jo-Anne’s week.

As the eldest of five children, Jo-Anne helped raise her siblings. But she was in a hurry to get out on her own, so took an office job in Toronto at the age of 18. She later applied for her dream job as a flight attendant with Trans Canada Airlines (now known as Air Canada). She soon realised that she could advance quickly by moving to a less popular base, so she and her friends, Marlene and Marge, transferred to Winnipeg.

Before the age of dating apps, people met in person at social and sporting events and so when Jo-Anne and her friends saw an ad for curling lessons at the local ice rink they signed up and the instructor said he would pick them up. The romance took off when Don, the instructor, showed up in his fancy convertible.

They were married a few years later in 1963 but of course in those days married women could not be flight attendants, so she had to resign. Don was transferred almost right away to Saskatoon, but they only lived there for about 8 months before Don took a new job in Montreal, where Blaine was born. You know they were optimists because they drove a convertible and had an outdoor pool!

Two years later Don was offered a job in Toronto with Wedgwood. They moved while Jo-Anne was pregnant with Karen to Mississauga, where Karen was born. Shortly afterwards, they bought their first home in the new town of Bramalea (now part of Brampton), where they raised Karen and Blaine.

Jo-Anne kept family front and centre, always coordinating, hosting or participating in family gatherings for both the Price and Charlton Clans. Every Christmas and Easter was spent with one family or the other. The family had many trips travelling to Ottawa and Kingston to see Ray (don’s brother), Mina and their kids Paul, Patricia and Linda.

The Charlton clan, family gatherings were centered in Willowdale, Jo-Anne’s parent’s home. The gatherings included Gail with her kids Ron, Brenda and Michelle; John and Ange with sons John (Jay), Stephen and Brian; and Trish and Graham with their children Carey and Lindsay. Jo-Anne’s youngest brother Eric wasn’t married at this point, so his kids Mandy, Laura and Paul missed out on these giant dinners of 18 people!

The other major venue for family gatherings was the family cottage on Gull Lake, Muskoka. As the families were growing up most of the summers were spent there with both the Charlton and Price clans making regular visits. Jo-Anne also maintained a strong relationship with her cousin, Don Berhalter, making regular trips to visit with him in Buffalo or hosting him at the cottage.

Once Blaine and Karen went to high school, Jo-Anne was hired as church secretary for St. Anthony’s Church. She worked there for over 25 years, retiring at 65. She was very active in the church, acting as both a Eurcharist minister and coordinating the Eurcharist team through the 2010s.

While Karen and John lived nearby in Brampton, Blaine moved to England in 1991. Don and Jo-Anne visited England regularly and most summers they hosted Blaine, Linda and kids Sarah and Jonny at the cottage. Once Ciara and Zack arrived there were more frequent trips to England, including looking after the grandchildren several times so Blaine and Linda could have a holiday.

Along with hosting Ciara and Zack at the cottage, Don and Jo-Anne also welcomed their great-nephew and nieces, the Bennett family, for huge 3-generation family gatherings.

Don passed away at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. During the various lockdowns, Jo-Anne moved in with Karen and John. She returned to live on her own in Rosedale Village in Brampton. In December 2023 Jo-Anne moved to the retirement community in Amica Peel Village near downtown Brampton. She had many friends at Amica, including Ray, ironically a former salesman, who kept her company at dinners and during happy hour where they would often watch the news together.

The Amica team took great care of Jo-Anne over the years and we are truly grateful. Jo-Anne was an outstanding cook, and we were all surprised when she surrendered her much loved cooking. But she raved about every meal she had in Amica, and she happily shared tables and social activities with different residents. It may have been attributed to wine being included with dinner: she always enjoyed a nice glass of wine with dinner.

Jo-Anne always knew it was important to stay active and despite having sciatic pain, she regularly went to the daily morning fitness classes. She also went for a walk every day, weather permitting.

In the years after Don passed away Jo-Anne suffered from mild to moderate dementia but was healthy, happy, and still knew who everyone was, even if her sense of time was a bit skewed. More recently, some days she would remember that Don had passed away but other days she would ask where he was. A few days before she died, Jo-Anne said to Karen that Don had called, and he was coming to pick her up. Maybe he did.

She used to have many sayings when asked how she was: “I’m on the right side of the grass” and “when God calls your name you go.”

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Society in Jo-Anne's memory.

We are planning to do an internment of ashes service followed by a celebration of life party on Saturday May 23rd, 2026. We would love to have you join us if you are able.

Please click this link (https://forms.gle/BoAxP25HazVDKyfT6) to let us know if you think you can come or to share memories.