In memory of

Joyce Evans

October 24, 1922 -  August 12, 2020

Audrey Joyce Evans (nee Dobson) passed away peacefully on August 12, 2020, at North York General Hospital, Toronto, in her 97th year.

Born in Leeds, England on October 24, 1922, Joyce and her husband immigrated to Canada in August 1948. They settled in Toronto, Ontario, where she spent most of her life.

Predeceased by her husband, Thomas Stephen Evans (born in Wales) in 1974.

Dearly beloved mother of Pauline (deceased) (Maurice, deceased), Jacqueline, Heather (Bryan), Christine (deceased) and Toni, and dearly beloved grandmother of Jennifer (Claire).

Predeceased by her loving parents Joseph Killam Dobson (of England) and Eliza McKay (of Scotland).

Also predeceased by her siblings, Ernest, Irene, Barbara, and Doreen.


Additional details under My Story - Life Stories

Guestbook 

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Terrie & Martin Wakeford (Toni's friend)

Entered August 14, 2020 from Hamilton, ON

I am so sorry to hear of your Mom's passing. I pray you will find comfort in family and friends, and of wonderful memories of you Mom. Praying for you. Love Terrie and Martin

Donna Green (Work Colleague)

Entered August 14, 2020 from Downtown

Hi Toni,

My condolences to you and your family on the passing of your mother. Hoping that you will remember the good times and the many lives your mother has touched along the way and the difference she has made.

Donna Green

Eileen Foster (colleague)

Entered August 14, 2020 from Whitby

Thinking of you at this sad time Toni. And soon, sad events will be replaced by happy memories of your time together.

Jackie Hatherly (Work Colleague)

Entered August 14, 2020 from Regina

Toni

Condolences to you and your family during this difficult time. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I know you will cherish the wonderful memories of your mother.

Cynthia Wheatley (Friend of Toni)

Entered August 14, 2020 from Etobicoke

Dear Toni: Please accept my sincerest sympathy at the loss of your mum. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.

Life Stories 

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Toni Evans 

Entered August 14, 2020

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of our much-loved mother Audrey Joyce Evans. Audrey to some, Joyce to others, and a true lady to everyone.

Joyce passed away peacefully on August 12, 2020 at North York General Hospital. Although she was coming up to her 98th birthday her death was unexpected, the consequence of a fall at home. She was hoping to live to 100 to receive a birthday card from the Queen. Like the Queen she was quiet, thoughtful, respectful and well spoken. In her younger years she even resembled the Queen.

Her life was an interesting one given the times and events she experienced in her almost 98 years.

Born in England to a Scottish mother and an English father she grew up in Leeds outside of London along with her three sisters and a brother. By her teenage years it was wartime and with all the men fighting the war the women were left doing the work back home - some things never change. She was working in the war efforts when she met her husband to be who was a returned prisoner of war. After the war, the couple left their England behind and immigrated to Canada, the land of opportunity.

They sailed to Canada on the RMS Aquitania in August 1948 and arrived at Pier 21 in Nova Scotia before boarding a train to the unknown city of Toronto, an arduous journey one could hardly imagine today. She married her husband on October 16, 1948 at St. Mark's Church, Parkdale.

They settled in Toronto where she lived most of her life and went on to have five daughters and one granddaughter. To entertain five children through the summer, they bought a cottage on Buckhorn Lake in 1967 and went on to love cottage life spending most weekends and entire summers at the lake. She was an exceptional weed and leaf raker – a task she was not able to ever give away despite her age. She was dangerous at a bonfire always adding wood and poking the fire and loved playing card games and doing jigsaw puzzles with friends and family. Her life involved raising her five daughters, being a homemaker, an avid reader including keeping current on world affairs, doing crosswords, attending theatre, and later in life travelling the world with her daughters.

Her favourite things were chocolates and desserts, a good cup of Red Rose tea, flower gardens, and watching a good soap opera (Another World and General Hospital).

She lost her husband to a heart attack in 1974 and overnight became a single mom and the director of a construction company and property development consortium. She quickly learned business skills and with the help of an outstanding accountant and a good friend, she emerged from the experience financially sound. She proudly obtained her Canadian Citizenship in 2000.

She outlived her husband Thomas, her three sisters and brother and sadly two of her own daughters, Pauline and Christine. Only three daughters Jacqueline, Heather, Toni and her much loved grandchild, Jennifer are alive to celebrate her life and appreciate all that she experienced over close to a century of living.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to all her caregivers who supported her ability to continue to live in her home and especially to Jane and her sister Ruth, who become members of our family.

Although we are grief-stricken, we know we were lucky to have her with us for as long as we did. Joyce will be forever missed, and our hearts will always be full of her memories. May she rest in peace; she touched so many and we were blessed to have had such a loving mother, elegant lady and kind soul in our lives.

Given Covid-19, the family will hold a small private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer Society of Canada or North York General Hospital would be appreciated by the family.

Photos 

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