Joanna Carlberg

Joanna was born in North Battleford shortly after the family arrived from England. Her father had been recruited as a staff physician at the Saskatchewan Mental Health Hospital where a new approach was being put in place. Her parents were forced out of Poland to Siberia, subsequently undertaking perilous journeys through Persia, Iraq, Palestine and into Egypt where they re-joined the Polish Army. The North Battleford home was a centre of a community life of books and conversation in a multitude of languages which gave Joanna a love of bringing people together. In 1965 they moved to Winnipeg where her father passed away in 1968 when Joanna was 17.

Joanna thrived in Winnipeg with a group of lifelong friends first at Isaac Newton School where her teams won the basketball championship and track and field relay races. At the University of Manitoba continued in sports but also she widened her friendships with singing and academic success. Her mother entered her into the Miss Polonia contest, which she won, putting her into the Miss Manitoba contest where her fellow contestants voted her Miss Congeniality which she relished. She earned a Master’s Degree in English at Carleton University, specializing in Canadian Literature.

Joanna began her career at York University in the Office of Student Programs in the Faculty of Science. It was a time of renewal at York with hard work within a vivacious group and she met her future husband. Joanna led the office in helping students find their way and in office celebrations of faculty achievements, often with song crafted for the occasion. She quickly came to the notice of the Office of the President for her advocacy of the Faculty and was hired to work with Sheldon Levy, then a Vice President during Harry Arthurs presidency. When Sheldon was appointed the President of Sheridan College, Joanna decided to move with him.

Joanna and Ray were married in 1989. Amy arrived in 1990 and Thomas in 1993. The family came along on trips to the Canada France Hawaii telescope and conferences in Europe, as well as school and fun in Toronto and Canada. After several years of Christmas vacation blizzard travel in Saskatchewan the family switched to summer travel to Cypress for family reunions. The family went to Pasadena when Ray was on a research leave in 1998. Joanna continued her work with Sheldon from Pasadena using a fax machine and laptop. It was a wonderful arrangement that showed how productive remote working was for them which they largely used from then on. Joanna accompanied Sheldon as he accepted leadership positions at Toronto, Ontario Tech University and what is now Toronto Metropolitan University. Joanna was proud of her role in supporting the vision of transforming the academic reach of TMU and its physical presence in Toronto.

Joanna retired in 2018 to enjoy books, her garden, her neighbourhood friends and friends and family elsewhere. In 2022 and 2025 grandchildren arrived to her joy. In 2025 Alzheimer’s set in and soon after cancer. She was happy and smiling to the end.

The family thanks the staff of Toronto General, Princess Margaret and Baycrest Hospital for expert and compassionate care.

There will be a Celebration of Life for our dear Joanna to be held at Jerrett Funeral Home, 1141 St Clair Ave. W, Toronto (1 block east of Dufferin St) on Saturday, July 25th from 2:00pm-6:00pm.