Jo-anne Marie Theresa (Heighton) MacLeod

Jo-Anne was the oldest child and only daughter of the late Daniel Heighton and Marion Ross. She grew up in New Glasgow, surrounded by family who loved her and would remain an important part of her life, always. She brought that oldest daughter energy to everything she set her hand to, which tells you everything you need to know about her place at the heart of our family. Jo-Anne adored her brothers, Daniel (Netty), Paul (Nancy), Alan (Jylene), and Michael (Catherine), as well as her nieces and nephews. She loved her mother Marion fiercely, and the two spent hours walking, talking, and drinking tea, taking every possible opportunity to be together throughout their lives.

As hard as it is for us to imagine a life without Jo-Anne, our hearts break especially for our Dad, Gregor, who loved her with steadfast devotion from the time he was 16 and cared for her in every sense of the word until he could no longer do so. Theirs was a true love story. Jo-Anne met Gregor in 1968, when he asked to walk her home after a dance (his sister Patricia vouched for his good character). Gregor apparently picked a piece of tall grass and carried it with him during the walk, dropping it only after Mom was safely home. After he left, she went back and found it, placed it in the family Bible, and fifty-eight years later, the dried-up pieces are still pressed between the pages.

Their children, Anna and Peter, arrived later and grew up in MacLellan’s Brook. We could not have had a more idyllic childhood. We were so deeply loved by our mother, and so secure in the knowledge that we were valued and that our ideas mattered, that we didn't really pause to think about how lucky we were. We both remember, even well into our awkward teen years, choosing to spend time at home with Mom rather than going out, because home was the happiest place to be.

In later years, when Anna married Greg Muzika and Peter married Aseil Eljallad, our little crew expanded, but somehow became even tighter. Our worlds centred around Mom’s purple house, and she was always happiest when we were together. She became ill not long after her only granddaughter, Mary Claire, was born, but Mom made the most of her time as a grandmother while she was able. We smile now remembering Mom gamely trying to squeeze her wheelchair into a closet during a game of hide-and-seek with MC.

Mom was happiest outdoors. We remember (fondly now, not so much then…) walking for hours through the woods in MacLellan’s Brook, learning about tree species and picking chanterelle mushrooms. A natural storyteller, Mom encouraged us to imagine all the things the big, old trees

had lived through. Her love of stories and imagination served her well as a school librarian, where she delighted in searching the shelves for the best stories and bringing characters to life for children. She held different roles in her working life, but school librarian was the perfect fit.

Mom had an uncanny ability to find the fun in everything and a knack for creating traditions. Because of that, our home was the place people gathered. We have beautiful memories of a house full of cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, neighbours, and friends, all drawn together by Mom’s remarkable warmth. We remember epic Christmas Eve parties with visits from Santa, making sundaes for Super Bowl Sunday (even though she had no interest in the actual game), and sunny hours spent splashing in the waves and eating sandy chips at Melmerby Beach.

Mom shared a special bond with her brother Al, who showed up for her throughout her life and continued to visit her several times a week, even in her final years, when illness had changed so much about the person she had always been. His love and devotion meant so much to Mom and to all of us. We are incredibly grateful to Al and his partner Jylene for the care, love, and support they’ve shown Mom and our family.

Mom’s illness changed so much, and for the last few years, it was difficult to reconcile what we saw with the vibrant, funny, imaginative woman we had always known. She was with us much longer than we thought she would be, though, thanks to her incredible determination and perhaps a longstanding case of FOMO (fear of missing out). Whatever the case, we were grateful for every hard-fought minute.

We want to thank the staff at Opal Ridge Hall, particularly those who worked in Major Court, Mom’s final home, for caring for her so deeply. We are also grateful to Mom’s geriatrician, Dr. Alison Dixon, for being a beacon, warm and full of light, during this very overwhelming time.

We’ll honour our mom by continuing to show up for each other and finding the fun where we can.

We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, November 7, 2026, to celebrate Jo-Anne’s life with us. We’ll be gathering at 1 p.m. at A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home, 217 Portland Street, Dartmouth. Bring your best Jo-Anne stories.