Winifred May Joan Downes

Passed away peacefully on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 at the Village at St. Clair at the age of 94. Beloved wife of the late Bill (2005) with whom she celebrated 58 years of marriage. The best ever mother to the late Dennis (2011), Gary (2019)(Joanne), Marilyn (Keith), Billy (Mary Anne) & Ken (Shelly). Grama will be missed very deeply by her 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren whom she always loved seeing and spending time with, and also her 6 great grandchildren who never had the privilege to get to know her. Joan is predeceased by her granddaughter Stacey (1982), her sisters Eddie, Evelyn, Flo, Marty, her sisters-in-law Elsie Manchester & Mary Downes. She has many nieces & nephews but had a special fondness for her nieces Beverly and Maureen who provided much love and support when needed. Joan was a member of the neighbourhood Euchre Club for 51 years, a member of the R.C.L. Branch #255 for over 30 years and a longstanding member of The Jubilee Club of The Church of the Ascension. She also loved to bowl and belonged to two leagues for several years. Today is a long awaited day and we will celebrate Joan and Bill back in each other’s arms again. A Private Family gathering is being held at the Walter D. Kelly Life Celebration Centre followed by cremation. Please join us in remembering Joan by visiting our memorial at walterdkellyfuneralhome.com

Joan held employment over the years with Hiram Walker's until she married Bill. She was always proud that she was a stay-at-home mom and raised her own kids in their little house on Bernard Road. Several years later, only when Ken was home and in high school, mom worked for Simpson's to help while Bill was on strike for 6 months from Hiram Walker's. When he returned to work, Joan kept her employment and Bill told her that what she made could be her "fun money". Joan had many good friends that she loved and cherished, unfortunately many have already gone ahead of her to their resting place. Now she will join them for a great game of Euchre and many more happy times. Joan loved to travel, and she did do her share of that during her life. She was always very social and loved being with family and enjoying life. She loved by everyone and everyone loved her. She dearly loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and there was never a time she was not overjoyed when they chose to spend time with her. She so looked forward to their company and hearing tales about their lives. And they loved visiting and spending time with her as well. Joan was truly loved and cherished by the many staff at the homes she resided in and the hospitals she frequented over the past several years, commenting on her as being such a lovable lady , so gracious and fun to be around and always a real joy to care for. She never ad a problem making friends wherever she went. She knew how to laugh, joke and have fun while being caring, warm, sincere and very lovable, never demanding or miserable to anyone. A granddaughter once commented, "I wish I could be like Grama. I don't ever recall her say a bad word about anyone." Joan talked often about the wonderful life she had with her loving husband Bill and their five children. Especially eager to talk about the wonderful family vacations they shared every summer at Lake Simcoe for nearly 15 conce