Joan Elinor Marie Duguid

Joan Elinor Marie Duguid (née Silver) passed away peacefully on August 27, 2025, at North Shore Hospice, surrounded by her family. She was 96 years old.

Born on October 30, 1928, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Elsie and John Silver, Joan grew up in Brandon with her three brothers. On her 18th birthday, she boarded a train for Vancouver—beginning the adventure that would define her life.

Joan’s professional career began at Imperial Oil, where she rose from the steno pool to become executive assistant to the CEO before later joining the HR team. She paused her career to raise her family, returning in 1975 for another 15 years of service.

Above all, Joan was devoted to her family. She is lovingly remembered by her children Susan, Tom (Maggie Morrison), and Sharon (Bill Radvak); and by her cherished grandchildren Liam (Maty Fish), Tom, and Eric Peiffer; Angus and Cam Duguid; and Emma and Laurel Duguid. She played a pivotal role in helping both sets of her twin grandchildren during their premature early days. Joan was also a second mother to many of her children’s friends and a steady presence in the lives of her nieces and nephews, who knew her as the matriarch of the large Silver clan.

Joan’s life was marked by resilience and joy. After the tragic loss of her infant daughters, Lori (1959) and Sandra (1961), she adopted the motto, “Life is for the living.” She embodied this every day, pouring her energy into her children, community, and passions.

A consummate homemaker and engaged mother, Joan sewed everything from ski suits to quilts to wedding dresses, prepared every meal from scratch, and shuttled her children to countless activities—Boy Scouts, Brownies, field hockey, ice hockey, skiing, swimming, sailing, and more. She was a Tawny Owl in Brownies, a sewing instructor, and an active volunteer in her West Vancouver community. Summers were spent sailing, camping, and trips to the Okanagan with family and friends—waterskiing, swimming, and gathering around campfires.

Her love of adventure was endless. A competitive skier in the 1940s, Joan raced across Western Canada and the U.S. She moved to Whistler in 1989, where she ran a small B&B and volunteered as a ski host for 30 years on both Whistler and Blackcomb, becoming an honorary lifetime passholder. Her last ski race was at age 71, where her time bested many younger competitors. She skied until age 90 and waterskied until 75. Joan also loved sailing, completing Power Squadron courses to sail solo and with family around the Salish Sea.

After retiring, she earned a diploma in textile arts at Capilano College, creating beautiful hand-spun and woven works. She traveled widely—backpacking in Europe, hiking in New Zealand, rafting the Stikine River, and sailing the Hebrides. She also worked as office manager and ground staff for an international sailing tour company, often joining for travel and sailing adventures around the world.

Joan was known for her vitality, fierce independence, and pragmatic nature. Almost never ill, she credited her longevity to daily exercise, three square meals, and a glass of milk. Even after breaking her leg one Christmas Eve while skiing, she still cooked a full Christmas dinner for friends and family before seeking medical help the next day.

Predeceased by her infant daughters Lori and Sandra; brothers Desmond, Gerry, and Cecil; former husband Donald Duguid; and later-in-life partner Keith Lord, Joan leaves behind a legacy of love, resilience, and spirited living.

In accordance with her wishes, there will be no formal service. A private family gathering will be held. Friends and loved ones are invited to raise a glass in Joan’s honour, to celebrate a life well lived and well loved—and to carry forward her motto: “Life is for the living.”