Quick Search

JOAN MURIEL NEWMAN

JOAN MURIEL NEWMAN

Born: November 3rd, 1918

Passed in: White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Passed on: May 11th, 2013

Our Family is sad to announce the passing of Joan Muriel Newman (nee Graves) of White Rock, on Saturday May 11, 2013, at age 94.

Joan was born in Portsmouth, England on November 3, 1918 the first child of Archibald Frank Graves and Jessica Victoria Graves. When Joan was a toddler, the family embarked on an adventure to a new life in Canada settling first in Vancouver. As a Manager for the Bank of Commerce (as it was then) the family transferred to various posts and lived in Kerrisdale, New Westminster, Kelowna and Kamloops. While in Kamloops, Joan completed her High School and business training. Soon after she met Claude James Newman, son of a pioneer ranching family from the Cariboo. Joan and Claude married in 1937 and settled in Kamloops where they lived for more than 50 years and raised their family of eight children.

During Joan's life she devoted herself to the care of her big, busy family and secondly to her other passion, her beloved St. Paul's Cathedral. She worked tirelessly for and with the Anglican Church both as a volunteer and Archivist and was instrumental in setting up the Archives of the Diocese of Cariboo. She treasured her church family and made and maintained many lifetime friends through her faith. After Claude's death in 1989, Joan continued her life in Kamloops until family ties pulled her to White Rock in 2005.

Joan was a force to be reckoned with - she was interested and interesting, keeping up with her large family as well as her many other varied interests. An avid bridge and scrabble player and lover of language, she did daily crossword puzzles and was a voracious reader. Her tables always held countless books, she read newspapers and magazines cover to cover, and could speak intelligently on current events, politics and a wide range of topics. Mom mastered the computer in her senior years and edited several books while in her 80's and 90's. No rocking chair for her! She never missed an opportunity to greet someone with a smile or a helping hand, and a batch of homemade cookies. Well into her 90's she kept up with longtime friends and made new ones. Never reluctant to share advice, she often counseled her family about how life should be lived and the proper arrangement of living room furniture! We will miss her wise counsel and her gentle nudging to "do the right thing".

Joan was predeceased by her parents, her beloved husband of more than 52 years, Claude, her sister Peg Thomas, as well as her great-grandson Austin Williamson, tragically taken from our family far too young in 2012.

She is survived by her children: Claudia Williamson of Edmonton; Jim (Diana) Newman of Surrey; Don (Vesna) Newman of New York; Penny Harvie-Parker (Brad Parker) of Qualicum Beach, Mary Lou Schootman (Roel) of Boundary Bay; Lisa Peterson (Neil Hood) of Langley, Mark (Laurel Coghlin) Newman of South Surrey, Nancy Alyward (Gord) of Langley; twelve grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren, as well as her sister and brother-in-law Pat and Walt Simms of Blind Bay, B.C.

We will all miss Joan, our Mom, our Guide and our beloved Matriarch more than we can say. We will strive to live with the faith, integrity and honour she so ably demonstrated by fine example.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held in White Rock at The Church of the Holy Trinity on Thursday, June 20th, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. and prayers offered at St. Paul's Cathedral in Kamloops.

If so desired, contributions may be made to Covenant House in Joan's name.

Rest in Peace Mom.

 

ANNOUNCEMENT PUBLISHED IN

Tribute

Leave a condolence

comments powered by Disqus

Quick Search

Place an Obituary

MEMORIAL WEBSITE

Create a Memorial Website