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Joan Parker (nee Howard)
August 24, 1948 - June 20, 2020
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<div itemprop="description">Joan Louise Parker (née Howard) - August 24,1948 - June 20, 2020 <br> <br>It is with great sadness that we announce Joan’s passing on June 20, 2020, after a twenty-five year struggle with Parkinson’s Disease followed by a short decline with Covid-19. <br> <br>Joan was born in Oliver, B.C. to the late Hilda E. Howard and William B. Howard, later of Pierrefonds. <br> <br>Joan attended and graduated from John Rennie High School. Joan was discouraged to leave friends behind at John Rennie due to school board changes to spend grade ten at Beaconsfield High School—until the first day, when she spotted the new crop of good looking guys! Joan also took several university courses. <br> <br>In 1980 Joan married her beloved husband Malcolm Parker who was her strength and her stay through her many years of illness. <br> <br>Joan was a very proud and loving mother to their twins Scott (Deepti) and Ross (Marie-Pier). She spent years completely devoted to them while also being a busy working mom, and they in their turn helped her immensely in recent years when her physical health deteriorated. Their dedication was particularly seen in their weekly visits to her at CHSLD Bayview, and bringing her home for Sunday family dinners every week. <br> <br>Joan will be dearly missed by her sisters Elizabeth Anne, Karen, and Helen (Keith), who made many trips and weeks of visits to provide support, care and love to Joan and the family. <br> <br>Similarly, Malcolm’s sister Melanie Parker made many trips from Toronto to assist the cause and support the family. <br> <br>Joan enjoyed being a loving aunt to her nephews Matthew Heming (Ana), Darren Heming (Margaret) , and her nieces Katherine D’Ascanio (Carmine), Jennifer Morin (Eric) and Margaret Taylor. <br> <br>For many years Joan was a senior Executive Assistant at Noranda Technology Centre in Pointe Claire and downtown Montreal. While there she enjoyed organizing many successful company social events, including the entertaining Christmas parties complete with skits and costumes. <br> <br>Joan was active in many volunteer organizations. She was a natural leader and you could say Joan never joined an organization that she didn’t eventually lead. <br> <br>She was the President of the Montreal Parents of Twins Club for many years, which included the Annual Twins Fashion Show which was the big fundraiser and a Montreal tradition. <br> <br>Joan was the President of Lindsay Place High School Home and School Association. <br> <br>Joan was also a Sunday school teacher and supervisor at Valois United Church. Her contribution to the annual bazaar was organizing the very successful silent auctions. <br> <br>Joan was the founder and leader of Parkinson’s West Island English Support Group. Her neurologist suggested the need for such a group in the West Island, and Joan took up the challenge. She successfully established and led for years a group of up to 40 Parkinson’s patients, bringing in a range of relevant speakers and giving patients and their partners a chance to share and support each other. <br> <br>Above all else, her lifelong driving force was to help others. <br> <br>Joan’s many friends will miss her happy laugh, her kindness to others, her active fun, her enthusiasm for any new project. Joan was also a keen supporter of Nova charity thrift shops, who will no doubt miss her visits. <br> <br>Thanks to the fifth floor staff at CHSLD Bayview who cared for her so well over two and a half years. Special thanks to Maureen who helped Joan and the family stay connected with FaceTime and phone calls when visits were unavailable in the last few months. <br> <br>Thanks to Dr. Chouinard and Benoit Gagnon, of the CHUM, who helped and encouraged her through many years of her Parkinson’s journey, including participating in a novel research study. <br> <br>A memorial service will be arranged at a later date when family and friends can gather to celebrate Joan’s remarkable and busy life. <br> <br>In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Valois United Church, 70 Belmont, Pointe Claire, QC H9R 2N5. http://valoisunited.ca/donations.html <br></div>