Joan will always be remembered
Family of cancer victim donate bench to hospice
A beautiful gift in memory of a woman who lost her battle with cancer has been donated to the hospice where she was cared for.
Joan Plunkett died in December 2016 at the age of 56, just 19 months after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer,
And Joan’s mother Bette, her sister Libby and her brother-inlaw Bill have now given a beautiful bench to Paisley’s Accord Hospice.
Libby said: “Joan had a wonderful personality.
“In company she made people feel at ease and it was never long before the room was filled with laughter.
“Making people laugh wasn’t her only gift, she was hugely talented, from building kitchens to making curtains, decorating to car maintenance.
“She was very creative and was always happy to use her skills to create something new.
“One of her passions was her garden and nature.
“She spent many hours growing beautiful arrays of flowers and a great selection of vegetables.
“Joan marvelled at bees, butterflies and even tiny ants going about their intricate work, and she never tired of the wonders of nature.”
And all of this is reflected is on the specially-commissioned bench the family have given to Accord. It features flowers, plants, insects and butterflies.
Libby said: “Joan was, and still is, very special to us.
“We adored her and we wanted our choice of memorial to capture that and also reflect her bright personality, some of what she loved in life and colours that either had a special meaning to Joan or to us, her family.
“The purple grasses represent Blue Statis, a flower Joan grew in her garden. “She loved its vibrant colour. “The Blue Butterfly we chose to represent her beautiful blue eyes, the Red Flowers are painted Poppy Red chosen for its name. “Joan’s beloved pet spaniel is called Poppy.
“The jade and peach flowers represent the colours she wore when she was bridesmaid at my wedding.
“It reminds us of a day when she was carefree, full of joy and radiance.
“Finally the Bee, Dragonfly and Butterfly remind us that Joan appreciated even the tiniest things life had to offer.”
The Rose laid on the bench is a cutting from a rose bush which was named after Joan and presented to her on her 50th birthday. It is called Seonaid’s Surprise. “Seonaid is Gaelic for Joan and was our pet name for her,” Libby said.
Though not planned, Joan’s bench has been installed at her birthday, she added.
“So happy heavenly birthday our precious Seonaid,” she said.
“It seemed fitting to remember her with her very own rose.”
Libby added that Joan brought joy into so many people’s lives, and the family hopes that by donating the bench to the hospice that her legacy can live on.
“With its array of colour and features we hope it will bring happiness and help brighten the day for patients, their families and staff for many years to come,” she said.
“Our thanks go to Accord Hospice for the care and attention given to Joan and for the ongoing support to her family.
“Also thanks to David Ogilvie Engineering for helping us create a fitting and lasting tribute to our daughter and sister Joan.’’