Age 90 of Halifax passed away on 15 September 2021 in the Victoria General Hospital Halifax. She was the third oldest child and daughter of the late Fred and Marie Whitman. Predeceased by sister Bernice Hines and brother Ernest Whitman. She is survived by her husband Arthur; sister Donna and her son Kevin Dufresne; nieces and nephews including Bruce Whitman, Port Stanley ON; Craig Whitman (Helen) Halifax; Paula Henderson, London ON, Wendy d’Entremont ( Bruce) Lower West Pubnico; Stephanie Abriel, Dartmouth ; Karen Mooney ( Gerald) Wirral N.B. and Kathy Tidswell ( John) Burtt’s Corner N.B.
Her early education was at the Morris Street School and Convent of the Sacred Heart. She then attended the Maritime Business College. In her mid-thirty’s she decided to enroll at Dalhousie University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in political science and history.
During her high school years, she worked part time as a sales clerk at Zellers Department Store. Following graduating from the Maritime Business Collage, her first secretary job was with the Canadian Army office of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Halifax. Then transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy Constructor branch in HMC Dockyard where she first met her husband to be Arthur, who was there as an officer cadet with the UNTD. The following year they were married and moved to Fredericton, where she worked in the Registrar’s office at the University of New Brunswick .Returning to Halifax she was appointed as secretary to the Venture Program at the HMCS Stadacona Naval Hospital. Her final secretary job was with the consulting Engineers Firm of J. Phillip Vaughan and Associates Ltd. A position she held for more than twenty years. After retiring, she joined the World Trade Centre as an usher and worked functions in both the Trade Centre and the Metro Centre. She continued to work as an usher at the Metro Centre, running up and down the Metro Centre steps like a teenager until she was in her late seventies and early eighties.
Photography was always a passion and she exhibited in many worldwide photo competitions. In 1970, she won Photographic Society of America gold medal at the Stampede City Salon. She was always active in community affairs and was appointed member of the Halifax Regional Vocational School Advisory Board, a position she held for many years. She also ran for a seat on the Halifax City Council, but was defeated. She was an ardent sports fan and loved watching Mooseheads hockey games. As a young girl, she attended most of the H&D baseball games at the Wanderers Grounds. She was there the afternoon of the 1945 Bedford Magazine Explosion and had to walk home through the debris and broken glass along the streets, her love of sports continued as she watched most NHL hockey games on TV during the winter and baseball games in the summer.
In the mid nineteen eighties, Joan and her husband purchased a five acre lot of land at Falmouth N.S. At this location, they set up a hobby farm and grew fruits and vegetables for sale at their roadside location. They also exhibited their produce each year at the Windsor Exhibition and the Halifax Fall Fair. After retiring as an usher, she and her husband started to sell their antiques and collectables at the Halifax Forum Flea Market. Meeting new people and making friends kept her young for her age and gave her something to look forward to each week. Sales were also made at the “Christmas at the Forum” each Fall season. However, age finally caught up with her and she has been mostly at home resting for the past couple of years until her recent hospital admittance.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday September 22, 2021 from 1-2pm immediately followed by a funeral service at 2pm in J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax. For online condolences please visit www.jasnowfuneralhome.com
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