Obituary It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing away of Joanne, the Heart and Soul of our family, after a lengthy and often painful battle with cancer. Joanne was predeceased by her father John Semkow and leaves to celebrate her life and mourn her loss, her mother Mary Semkow, her loving husband John and their children: Michael of Melbourne, Australia, Dianne (George) of Calgary, David (Sureepron) of Edmonton, Lisa (John) of Melbourne, Australia, Carla (David) of Edmonton and Pamela (Michael) of Edmonton, 12 grandchildren: Asha, Henry, Jacques, Sasha, Jonathan, Joseph, Dey, Risa, Zack, Isabella, James and Christopher; her brother Ron (Vera) of Victoria and sister Jann of Edmonton, many uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews and numerous friends in Edmonton and throughout the world. Joanne was the epitome of all that is good in humankind. She was thoughtful, loving, caring, generous, resourceful, practical, considerate and respectful of others. Moreover, she was always gentle and saw the good in others. It is these traits that made her an ardent supporter of her husband’s local, national and global endeavors. She was a loving role model and mother who instilled in her children all the basic values and desirable attributes she could; both by example and by word. It is the expression of these traits and her pleasant demeanor that touched and enriched the lives of everyone who knew her. Joanne was devoted to her family and grandchildren and thrived in their presence. She was a superb homemaker and cook who always had her house in order without appearing to have been busy. She was also an excellent hostess and hosted many gatherings of family, relatives, friends and geneticists from around the world. She managed to do so with grace and dignity, despite simultaneously raising a large family. No matter what activity Joanne was involved in, her impeccable sense of style and dignity made a lasting impression on everyone who met her. Joanne will be sadly missed and always lovingly remembered in the daily lives of her family and at gatherings of those she loved. We cannot adequately express our appreciation and thanks for the overwhelming support, love and compassion our relatives and many friends have demonstrated during Joanne’s lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. We also express our deepest and sincerest gratitude to Dr. Rose Stepanko, Joanne’s physician, and her colleagues; to Dr. Diane Severin, Joanne’s oncologist, and her colleagues; Bonnie and her team from Alberta Health Homecare, and the technical and administrative staff at the Cross Cancer Institute for their excellent care and treatment, and their compassion for Joanne during her lengthy ordeal.

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