Joan Louise (Tilly) Hicks passed away peacefully on July 3, 2021, at the age of 84 at Harbourstone Enhanced Care, Sydney.
Since her life altering stroke in February 2000, she has faced many challenges with her health, including her battle with breast cancer. But in true Joanie fashion, she did it all with grace and dignity. She defied the odds many times and was a marvel to all for her spirit and determination. Her faith provided great comfort, strength and she was thankful for the life she had been given.
Joan was born a twin on September 12, 1936, in Clarenville, Newfoundland. “The little one” wasn’t supposed to make it through the night, but God had a different plan for Joan. At her passing, she was the last surviving member of her immediate family; her parents, Annie Eileen (Sweetapple) and Robert Tilley, her brother, Gower, her sister, Hilda (MacPherson) and her twin sister, Joyce (Howie).
Joan graduated Sydney Academy in 1956 and held secretarial positions at the Sydney Steel Corporation. Being Called by God for ministry, she attended training college of The Salvation Army in Toronto and was commissioned as Lt. in the ’59-60 Great Heart Session. After her years in ministry, she returned to her secretarial skills at Eastern Tech College. Joan also worked and retired from working as a civilian with the Canadian Armed Forces at Victoria Park in Sydney and Area Command in Halifax. The Cape Breton Highlanders awarded her an Honorary Highlander in 2015 for her dedicated service.
Both Joan and Arnold had a long history with The Salvation Army in Sydney and Halifax and were loved for the beautiful music they would make together. When not at the Corps for worship, Home League, Spice of Life, Corps Cadets, Band and Songsters, you could find them at the Masonic Lodge or on the road with their fellow Eastern Stars enjoying their life in that fraternity. Joan was a Past Matron of Queen Elizabeth Chapter #14, Sydney and a member of Queen Esther #61, Dartmouth. She also served as District Deputy and a Grand Representative to New Hampshire for the Grand Chapter of Eastern Star for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Joan married Louis Arnold Hicks on June 24, 1972 and they were blessed with 27 years of married life before Arnold was called Home. She missed him dearly since that day in 1999, but they are together again, hopefully once again sitting at the piano and organ together playing the hymns they loved to play.
Joan is survived by her three children, whom she loved with all her heart; Julia Dunn (Cameron) in Katy, Texas, Robert Hicks (Donna) in Dartmouth, and Elizabeth MacLeod (Dwight) in Sydney. Holding a very special place in her heart were her seven grandchildren, Amanda-Leigh MacLeod, John A. MacLeod (Tara), Andrew Hicks, Matthew Hicks (Shelby Amero), Collin, Shaughnessy and Ewan Dunn. She was lucky enough to have two wonderful great-grandchildren, Lachlan and Enna MacLeod, and was excited to meet her newest one due to arrive this summer to Matthew and Shelby.
Joan was also like a second mother to her twin sister Joyce’s girls, Virginia (Doug) Henderson and Brenda (Ron) Mullins who will miss her profoundly. She had many nieces and nephews in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Boston who she loved just as much and will miss her.
Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held in the Salvation Army Sydney Community Church on Sunday, July 3, 2022 from 2-3 p.m. with an Eastern Star Service at 2:30 pm, followed by a funeral service at 3 p.m. Burial will take place in Wallace River, NS. The service can be viewed online at www.facebook.com/events/745836850194021
To honour Joan’s wishes, she would have been pleased to see the chapel full of Salvation Army uniforms or wear anything that is pink, her favorite colour.
Thank you to the staff at Harbourstone Enhanced Care, especially Spanish Bay, who cared and looked after mom and survived her horrible driving skills in her motorized wheelchair for 8 ½ years. You were her extended family, and we could not have asked for a better home and staff than you have given her. You will hold a special place in our hearts.
Flowers may be sent to Sydney Memorial Chapel or a donation in her memory may be made to the Salvation Army or the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Words of comfort can be sent to the family at www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca or e-mail sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down but God never abandons us. We are knocked down, but we get up and keep ongoing”. II Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT
2022
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Joan Louise Hicks 2022..
Décès pour la Ville: Sydney, Province: Nova Scotia