MACLAURIN, Joan Marie

January 31, 1935 - August 23, 2020

With sadness, the MacLaurin family, announces the sudden death of our dear sister, aunt and a true friend to many, Joan Marie MacLaurin. Joan suffered a severe stroke on August 23rd while in care at Spring Valley Care Centre in Kelowna, she had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2018. Joan was the eldest of three siblings born to Peter C. MacLaurin and Doris L. MacLaurin (Dow) in Belleville, Ontario. When Joan was 12 years old the family made a permanent move to Kelowna. She graduated from the Kelowna High School in 1952, continued her education at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, enrolled in their pre-nursing program before entering the Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing, receiving her RN in 1956. Her nursing career continued at the Vancouver General Hospital, the San Francisco General Hospital (Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center), Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. While in Boston Joan made a career change and enrolled in the Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School which is now part of the Sanford- Brown College in Boston. After completing her studies at Katharine Gibbs she travelled to Europe, spent a few months in Paris and settled in London, England working at the American Express Services office. Her secretarial career included working in the administration offices of the Montreal General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec and Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. In the 1980’s she settled in Victoria, semi-retired, taking courses at Camosun College and working as a caregiver. She returned to Kelowna in 1993 to take care of her mother who passed away in 1999. Joan enjoyed Kelowna, renewing old friendships, making new friends via the Martin Education Centre. She always kept up with her many friends, especially her VGH nursing classmates which involved numerous reunions in Vancouver, Victoria and Harrison Hot Springs. Joan is survived by her brother Peter and her sister-in-law Dianne, Quadra Island, BC. Their family, daughter Anne MacLaurin and her husband Adam Heinz, their daughters Emily, Anya MacLaurin-Lowan and Kristen Heinz, Victoria, BC. Son David MacLaurin and his wife Ashley, their daughter Ocean, sons Indigo, Collin and Logan, Federal Way, Washington state. Joan’s sister Ruth MacLaurin, Campbell River, BC and Ruth’s daughter Cara MacLaurin and her husband Thailen Miller, Kelowna, BC. Joan will be buried in the Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC on September 3, 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a graveside family gathering will be held at that time. First Memorial, Victoria, BC is in charge of the arrangements and the family would like to thank them for all their kindness and help in our time of need, much appreciated. At a much later date a family gathering will take place at Peter and Dianne MacLaurin’s home on Quadra Island, BC. The family would like to thank the staff and nurses at Spring Valley Care Centre for taking such good care of Joan during her stay at Spring Valley for the past year. And a special thank-you to Dr. Jeanne Mace who was Joan’s doctor for many years. We would like to thank-you all for keeping the family well informed during these trying COVID-19 times, very much appreciated.