Mrs. Joan Lillian Richards

February 2, 1932 – February 2, 2022

Joan passed away peacefully on her 90th birthday, survived by her husband Ray, children Ann (Richard Lee), Barbara (Jeremy Moore), Jim (Johanne Poulin), and Catherine, grandchildren Stephanie, Nicolas, Michael and Matthew, and brother, Ron (Jean Edwards), as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents and younger sister Pat.

Joan was born February 2, 1932, in Winnipeg to Dr. P.J. Rogal and Dorothy Quinn and grew up in Milden, SK. Her early activities included CGIT, ladies’ hockey and playing the piano at church and other functions. She excelled at piano and obtained her degree at the Royal Conservatory of Music at the age of 16. At the University of Saskatchewan, Joan was ‘Senior Stick’ of her class. She interned as a Dietitian at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria and began her career at the Grey Nuns’ Hospital in Regina, SK. She met Ray at University and they married in 1954. She continued teaching student nurses until devoting her time to her family. She especially loved spending summers at their cottage on Katepwa Lake, baking fresh berry pies with a wood burning stove, and was a Snowy Owl for the Brownies.  Grey Cup parties hosted by Ray and Joan for their Roughrider fan friends became an annual event lasting more than 50 years.

In 1971 Ray and Joan moved to West Vancouver. She was a Master Bridge player, teacher, and director. Joan was commended for conducting the registrations and hospitality arrangements for a major International Duplicate Bridge Tournament held in Vancouver in 1999. For the past many years, even during cancer treatment, she enjoyed directing the Thursday duplicate bridge games at the West Vancouver Seniors’ Activity Centre where she knew all the many participants by name. After the game she came home to do the scoring, a demanding task before computer programs were available to ease the calculations. Joan enjoyed sewing and was an avid quilter, giving many quilts to charitable organizations. She was a kind, smart and strong lady who will be missed by all who knew her, including the neighbours along the lane in Dundarave where she lived for the past 30 years, and especially by her family and husband Ray.

Joan was very appreciative of the care and attention she received from Dr. Mary Robertson and Dr. Paul Klimo over the years. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation. A service will be held at a later date.