Joseph Stanley Smithson

Joseph Stanley Smithson passed on October 25, 2022 at the age of 88. Although always humble, Joe leaves behind a tremendous legacy as an accomplished Paralympic athlete and builder of wheelchair sport in Canada. He will be greatly missed by family and friends who cherished his quiet resolve and dedication, but more than anything, his kind and caring spirit.

Joe was born to parents Robert and Margaret in Eden, Manitoba. The youngest of seven siblings (Bob, Ted, Catherine, Janet, Harry, Lawrence all deceased), Joe spent his youth working the farm and developed an early love for sport, competing in hockey, curling and baseball.

At the age of 19, Joe contracted polio. While he was left paralyzed from the waist down, Joe was fortunate to overcome the illness and was determined to push forward. During rehabilitation, he found his passion for wheelchair sports, pursued an education, and met the love of his life, Bev.

Joe joined Manitoba’s first wheelchair basketball team in 1965 and went on to become one of Canada’s top athletes in the sport. During the peak of his career, he was captain of the Manitoba Provincial Team (the Red River Ramblers) and competed with the Canadian National Team at the Pan-American Games in Argentina (1969), and the Paralympic Games in Heidelberg (1972) and Toronto (1976). Joe also competed at a national level in table tennis, slalom racing and swimming.

Joe was dedicated to the development of wheelchair sports in Canada, volunteering with the Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association, the Canadian Wheelchair Sport Association and many other groups. In recognition of his achievements and contributions, Joe was named to the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Fame at the inaugural induction ceremony in 1995.

In addition to his athletic pursuits, Joe had an accomplished professional career starting with GBR Architects and then assisting with the startup of SMS Engineering where he remained until his retirement in 1994. Joe specialized in HVAC design and is credited with the HVAC design for many prominent buildings in Winnipeg and across Canada.

Joe loved travelling with his wife and teammates, including regular trips to Hawaii later in life. He cherished time with his children and grandchildren, taking them on many road trips and visits to the zoo, museums and other attractions. He could always be seen at the pool or hockey arena cheering on his grandkids.

Joe will be greatly missed by his surviving family, including his wife of 63 years, Bev; son, Tim; daughter Cheryl (Todd Goldhawk); grandchildren Brett (Brendan Gribbons) and Kristine (Isaac Friesen); and great-granddaughters Payton and Quinn Friesen.

We invite you to join us in raising a toast to Joe with his favourite drink: a rum and coke. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Post-Polio Network (Manitoba) or Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.thomsoninthepark.com for the Smithson family.