STEADMAN, Mary Joanne

Peacefully at home in Ottawa on June 26, 2020, at the age of 76. Daughter of Blake and Rita Steadman, Joanne is survived by her brother, Dean Steadman (Françoise) and her niece and nephew, Laura and Sam. Joanne raised two sons, Jeremy (Lianne Yoshida) and Gideon Lundholm (Hillary Lawson), whom she adored, and she equally cherished her grandsons, Will, Jack and Owen. Joanne grew up on Rockliffe Air Base in Ottawa where, as a spirited teen, she fully embraced life with her many friends. She began her working career at age 18 with the Company of Young Canadians. In her 30s, she returned to school to complete an Economics degree at Carleton University and then worked for a time as a bookkeeper in the private sector and later as a financial analyst at the Treasury Board of Canada. During the 1998 ice storm, Joanne was hired to manage the Eastern Ontario Disaster Relief Committee. There her administrative skills resulted in efficiencies that furthered funding for many storm victims. Joanne was an animated storyteller, a natural humourist, a master of hyperbole. She was also a gifted conversationalist, attentive, always curious and ready with insightful questions. Over the last 20 years, she engaged in a close reading of the Catholic liturgy at St. Paul University, a study forming part of a broader spiritual quest. She was confident that on the next stage of her journey all her questions would be answered and she would finally be able to learn algebra. Mille tendres mercis to Dana Sydney, Joanne’s nurse practitioner, Dr. Mary Redmond, her pain specialist, and the palliative team at Saint Elizabeth Health Care. God bless Colleen, Charlene, and Jeremy for their loving kindness. Those wishing to make a charitable donation in memory of Joanne may want to consider the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, The Centretown Community Health Centre, or Centre 507. A memorial service will be held in Ottawa after the COVID restrictions on gatherings have been lifted.