It is with unimaginable heartbreak that we announce the passing of Joanne “JoBad” Badida who died suddenly on August 5, 2025 from complications related to the recurrence of her cancer.

The heart of our family, Joanne leaves behind her husband Richard and boys Evan and Tyler. She was the loving daughter of Lucy and Ed and the youngest sibling to her brother, Ed (and partner Jasmin). She was adored by her father in-law John, mother in-law Carol, and brother in-law Arthur (and wife Helene, nephew Vincent and niece Rose).

Jo was a true life force—full of light, laughter, and love. She had a giant heart of gold, giving herself selflessly to everyone, whether it was family, a friend, a colleague, or helping others on the same cancer journey she had been on. With her bright, contagious smile, quick wit, and boundless enthusiasm for life, Jo touched the hearts of all who knew her. She had the rare gift of making people feel seen, valued, and loved, and her absence will leave a space that can never truly be filled.

Jo grew up in Etobicoke and went to School and lifeguarded there, where she built lifelong friendships she carried through the years. She went on to study and graduate from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce and Masters in Industrial Relations, creating yet another core group of friends in her time in Kingston. Her natural ability to engage and connect with people combined with her professionalism and strong work ethic made her a perfect fit for her career in Human Resources, where she worked at many companies over the years, most recently teaching at George Brown College, which fulfilled her love for helping others. Jo was deeply respected by her colleagues, not only for her knowledge, but more importantly for her generosity and caring.

Family and friends meant everything to Joanne, especially her best friend and husband Rich, whom she shared many laughs, cries and adventures with over their 29 years together - and of course her precious boys Evan (17) and Tyler (13), spending family time playing games or watching shows together, vacations down south, hockey tournaments, and time at her happy place, the cottage on Skeleton Lake.

Jo’s greatest joy and proudest role was being super mom to her beautiful boys, Evan and Tyler. There wasn’t a thing in the world she would not do for the boys. She cherished every moment with them, cheering from the stands as a dedicated hockey mom, celebrating their achievements, and guiding them through life’s challenges, be it school or social related. Her unwavering love and support of Evan and Tyler has created a strong foundation and will always be with them as they navigate her loss and the many challenges they will face in life moving forward.

Family meant everything to Jo. She, like her mom, was the heart of the extended family, the one who kept everyone connected, who organized celebrations, and who made each gathering more special simply by being there. The family cottage on Skeleton Lake was in recent years the venue for many epic get-togethers and adventures with family and friends, while Jo’s parents place in Etobicoke was home to many memorable family and friend get-togethers and parties over Jo’s 51 years.

Her friendships were also important to her. Jo had the gift of cultivating bonds that lasted decades, and were clearly evident in the last couple of weeks, as her friends from her childhood, university and the neighborhood comforted and took care of her as she was in and out of the hospital, as Rich took care of the boys up north. To know Jo was to be blessed with her laughter, her big hugs, and those long, soul-nourishing talks. She had so many friends—each of whom she made feel like they were among the most important people in her life—because to Jo, they truly were.

Outside of her role as wife, mom, daughter, sister, and friend, Jo embraced life with passion. She loved to travel, explore, cheer on her boys from the hockey stands, work out, read, shop and anything pink, particularly Flamingos. Whether it was a night out dancing and singing out loud, a long road trip, or enjoying a coffee or meal with her friends, Jo made every moment count and the simplest moments shine.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 13th from 2–4 pm and 6–8 pm, followed by a Celebration of Life on Thursday, August 14th from 12–1 pm at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre. Wearing something pink in honour of Jo would bring joy to her and her family.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Canadian Cancer Society in Jo’s memory, reflecting her generous heart and commitment to helping others.