OBITUARY
Joyce Kathleen Walker
22 August , 1925 – 14 October , 2018
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Joyce Kathleen Walker (nee Bolem) at age 93, peacefully with family at her side, in the loving care of the fine staff at the Civic Hospital.
She is predeceased by her parents Owen and Charlotte Bolem (Aldershot, England). Joyce is also predeceased by siblings; Tom, Percy, Owen, and Patricia. She is also predeceased by her children; Tommy, Johnny, and Danny.
Joyce is survived by, and the dear mother of; Joyce (Bernard), Rochdale England, David and Earl (Sandra), Ottawa. And cherished grandmother of; Caroline, Andrew, Peter, Stephen, Susan, and Christopher (England), Lee (Heather), Sophie (Ottawa).
In addition to grandchildren, there are also a number of great grandchildren.
Joyce met and fell in love with a darkly handsome Canadian serviceman (George Hayes) in 1943, they were married later that year, and baby David followed in June 1944. Arrangements were made for Joyce to follow George to Canada as a war bride, and after a harrowing 10 day ocean voyage with an infant in her care, she arrived in Halifax on V.E. Day 1945. After a brief stay in quarantine for baby David, who had contracted measles during the crossing, she then experienced the riots that gripped Halifax on V.E. Day. After being released from care, her father in law (Samuel Hayes) collected her and the baby, they then returned to Ottawa.
Joyce touched the lives of so many people both personally and professionally. On the personal side she was looked up to by her many sisters in law, and adored by the extended family. Professionally, Joyce worked for both the Federal and Provincial Governments for over 30 years. In the later years of her work with the federal Government she was posted to Washington D.C. (c.1963) where she met and married her second husband (Hugh Walker). Joyce and Hugh retuned to Canada in 1968, and by 1972 had settled in London Ont. where they finished their careers in the Provincial Government. Upon retirement they returned to Ottawa (c.1993) in order to be closer to family, which by then included a new grandchild, Sophie.
Joyce and Hugh enjoyed their retirement, filling their days with many hobbies and great friends. Joyce began to exhibit the early signs of dementia soon after Hugh’s passing in 2005. In the past year Joyce suffered from the ravages of late-stage dementia, which left the family with a greater understanding of the effects of this terrible disease. Joyce was an incredible woman, an individual who had weathered great hardship and sorrow, and yet brought such love and grace into all of our lives. It was with indescribable sadness that we witnessed her decline. It is for this reason that we would ask that those so inclined donate to the Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County in lieu of flowers.
We would also like to acknowledge the wonderful treatment and care that Joyce received at Extendicare Medex, with special recognition of Steve, her personal care giver.
Forever will she live on in our lives and in our hearts, as she has given us so much and left us so capable of showing the world her love through our deeds.
Visitation on Wednesday, October 17th from 10am – 12pm at McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home, 1411 Hunt Club Road, with funeral service to follow in the chapel at 12 pm.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Joyce Kathleen Walker 2018.
Décès pour la Ville: ottawa, Province: Ontario
