Memorial Service
Saturday, June 4, 2016
1:30pm - 4:30pm
The Simple Alternative Toronto
275 Lesmill Road
Toronto, Ontario
M3B 2V1
416-441-1580


Joan died Saturday, February 13, 2016, of complications from pneumonia. Her family was around her. She was 82.
To those who knew her, the loss is devastating. Joan was a fine and generous person. She made friends easily and kept them. She was loyal to a fault.
She was also remarkably talented. From raising three obstreperous sons to figure- skating to playing tennis, she was willing to try anything. She invariably succeeded. She never held back.
Born in Kirkland Lake to the late Lawrence Kew Walkom and Phyllis Elizabeth Walkom (later Parfitt), she went on to train as a nurse in Toronto. But she remained, in some ways, a northern girl to the end. She had no patience for the pretentious. On some days, she had no patience at all. She liked to get the show on the road. She liked to see what was around the corner.
And she saw a lot. She leaves friends in Toronto, Florida, Minnesota, Lake Kawagama (where she was known to her grandchildren and others as Grandjoan) and, latterly, at the Mill Creek Care Centre in Barrie.
Predeceased by her second husband, Jim Roos; she will be sorely missed by her sons, Gordon McBride (Terri), John McBride (Lise) and Stephen McBride; by her grandchildren, Andrew, Charlotte, George and James; by her siblings, Patricia Sibbald (Patrick), Elaine Sidhu (Ram), Tom Walkom (Charlotte Montgomery) and by Evelyn Zambon, her stalwart friend at the end.
At Joan’s request, her remains were cremated.