Joan (MacRae) Scott

Joan (née MacRae) Scott passed away peacefully on April 16, 2026, at the age of 84, in Merritt, B.C. She was predeceased by her parents, John Frederick and Christina May MacRae (née MacLeod); her brothers, Freddy and Duncan MacRae; and her sister, Lorraine MacDonald. Joan will be deeply missed and forever held in the hearts of her husband, Thomas Marvin Scott; her son, Carl Scott; her daughter, Julia van Rossum (Greg); her grandchildren, Breanna and Devan Scott, and Isabel and Alexandra van Rossum; and her brothers, Martin, Raymond, and Kent MacRae.

Joan was born in Iris, Prince Edward Island, in 1941 and lived there until she was 21 years old before making the adventurous decision to move to British Columbia. At the time, she was working as a telephone operator for Maritime Telephone and Telegraph Company, a position she was able to transfer to BC Tel. Upon arriving in BC, Joan stayed with her Aunt Eileen in Chilliwack, where Eileen’s husband, Carl, introduced her to a young soldier from Nova Scotia named Thomas Scott.

Joan and Tom were married in 1964 and began a 27-year adventure in military life, living in British Columbia, Toronto, Germany, and Alberta before eventually returning to Chilliwack. Their final move was to Merritt in 1999.

Joan’s life was deeply shaped by her devotion to family and friends. She will be remembered for her unwavering loyalty, kindness, and generosity, and for always being willing to lend a helping hand. Joan’s legacy lives on through the family she loved and nurtured. She enjoyed spending time at home and in her garden, having a strong cup of tea after dinner while watching game shows, reading, and canning in the late summer and fall.

The family would like to thank the caring and compassionate staffs at Ponderosa House and Gillis House, the Merritt Hospital, and Dr. Ross and Dr. Lali for their support over the last year and a half of Joan’s life. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and care.

A celebration of life will be held at the Merritt Funeral Home on May 23 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cancer Society or consider honouring Joan’s memory by spending time with loved ones, planting something in your garden, or enjoying a game of crib or Scrabble.