Joy Elizabeth Atkinson

Joy Elizabeth Haslam Atkinson, RN, SCM (nee Wilkinson) was born on July 15, 1933 to James and Lydia Wilkinson of Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland. Growing up in a small Irish village, she was afforded the freedom to roam with her beloved dog, Prince and enjoyed the happiest of childhoods. After graduating from Wesley College, Dublin she began her lifelong career as a nurse. She trained and graduated as a Registered Nurse from the Adelaide Hospital in Dublin, before pursuing her certification as a State Certified Midwife at the Rotunda Hospital, also in Dublin. In the early 1960s she moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland where she worked in both the Royal Victoria and Belfast City hospitals. It was in Belfast that she met her husband of 58 years, Edward Gardiner Atkinson while singing in the choir at University Road Methodist Church, and with whom she had three children; Adelle Roberta Atkinson, Niall Stephen Atkinson, and Esther Elizabeth Atkinson. In 1972, Joy and Edward moved their young family to Canada where they settled for the remainder of their life together.

Joy was a compassionate caregiver, attentive and strong mother, and a proud grandmother. She worked as a Registered Nurse in a number of hospitals before becoming a member of the Victorian Order of Nurses in her later years before retirement. As a lover of music, she sang in church choirs throughout her life and the Mississauga Festival Choir during her retirement. Joy camped with her family in Canada and the United States, and loved her many visits to Italy.

Joy’s family fondly remembers her wonderful baking, especially her famous Apple Crumble; her very complicated three fruit marmalade, which was always made in large batches and given to her adult children to take back to school and eventually to their own homes. She hand knitted sweaters and baby clothing for her family and made homemade soups for family meals during which she regaled them with tales of her shenanigans as a child growing up in Ireland.

Joy was pre-deceased by her brother, Reverend Canon Noel Wilkinson, and is survived by her husband, Edward, her children, Adelle, Niall, and Esther; her son-in-law, Mark Feldman, her daughter-in-law, Sheril Hook; grandsons Samuel Edward and Liam James, and step-grandchildren, Talitha, Naomi, and Zachary. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Margaret Wilkinson, nieces Eleanor, Ruth, and Dorothy Wilkinson; and nephew John Wilkinson.

Joy passed away peacefully on September 23, 2021 in Toronto. She was 88 years old.

A funeral service for Joy will be held Friday, October 1, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at St. James Cemetery Chapel, 635 Parliament St., Toronto, ON M4X 1R1.

If desired donations can be made to Kensington Health Foundation at https://www.kensingtonhealth.org/donate in Joy's memory would be appreciated by the family

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.rosar-morrison.com for the ATKINSON family.