Joan Freeman

Passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 in her 75th year. Joan was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and raised by her father, Leo Anton Jelinski (1965) in East Vancouver.

Joan was predeceased by her husband, John David Freeman (1990). She is survived by her stepson, Hugh Freeman and wife, Denise of Port Alberni, 5 grandchildren – Hugh Jr., Tracy, Dean, Paula, and Erin as well as 10 grandchildren. She will also be missed by her loving cousin Erma (Stan) Yee, devoted niece, Amerval Du Planty of Sechelt (from Joan’s previous marriage to Peter Gormley), and of course, her beloved cat, Murphy.

Joan attended Sacred Heart School where she developed many lifelong friends. She often talked about the nuns and how strict they were. Joan went on to Vancouver Technical School and took the university entrance program as well as commercial courses and graduated in 1955. She was very smart and it was unfortunate that she couldn’t afford to continue on to University. Joan did, however, take many other courses over the years including Accounting. She enjoyed taking part in High School track and singing in the choir. Some of Joan’s many passions included line dancing, travelling, meeting new people, politics, movies, eating out with friends, and sending us all pictures of beautiful animals.

To list but a few highlights for Joan: - Joan was very proud of her days in the Royal Canadian Navy as a WREN. She was stationed at H.M.C.S. Naden in Esquimalt in 1959. Joan was very skilled in Morse Code and in the top of her class. From 1959 – 1962, Joan worked as Stenographer to the Honourable Wesley D. Black in the Provincial Secretary’s office in Victoria, B. C., following which she was Executive Secretary to Dr. G.R.F. Elliot, Deputy Minister of Health from 1962 until his retirement in 1976 at which time Joan left the Provincial Government. Although dictation machines were the norm at the time, Joan insisted on maintaining her shorthand skills - Dr. Elliot had no choice! She went on to train as a Legal Secretary. Following this Joan had a short stint with the Public Service Adjudication Board and in 1985 she took a position as Secretary for the Engineering Dept. at Vancouver City Hall until retirement in 1999.

On behalf of the family, thank you to all of her wonderful friends who made Joan’s final days comforting and meaningful and to the Nursing staff in the Palliative Care Ward, at Vancouver General Hospital, for their care and understanding. Joan will be remembered by countless loved ones for her quick wit, laughter, compassion, and generosity.

At Joan’s request, there will be no service held. Her wishes were for her ashes to be scattered at Brocton Oval the details of which will be announced at a later date.

Flowers gratefully declined; friends so wishing may make a memorial contribution to the S.P.C.A. or Katie’s Place Animal Shelter.