Joan Grant Dillon
1934-2018
Dillon, Joan 1934 -2018
Joan Dillon passed away peacefully, with friends by her side, on
the March 28, 2018 at R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home, Antigonish, Nova
Scotia.
Joan was born in Northern England, the daughter
of Southern Teasdale and Marjorie (Grant) Dillon. Joan came to Canada
with her mother and stepfather, Charles Dillon in 1946. She lived in
Charlottetown, P.E.I. until moving to Antigonish in the early
1960s.
Joan quickly settled in to life in Antigonish
making lots of friends while involved in many community activities.
One of her favorite annual events was helping to organize the
Children’s Parade at the Highland Games. Joan also began to
play softball and even in recent years would enjoy looking at photos
and reading news articles about her ball team and teammates who
remained friends long past their ball playing days! There was also
much time spent at the pottery house on the corner of Ninian Street
and College Street with Mother St Phillip, who not only taught Joan
the art of pottery making but also became a life long
mentor.
While working in Medical Records at St.
Martha’s hospital, Joan and friends began tutoring and
organizing activities in local communities. In 1965, Joan became a
founder of X-Project, a society which enlisted St.F.X students to work
with children in the outlying communities on school work and other
activities. This was the love of her life.
Joan would make every effort to visit all the
communities involved in X-Project getting to know everyone from babes
to seniors. Some would become her god children and many were lifelong
friends she was still trying to help from the nursing home. If Joan
heard that someone was in need she was there to donate her time,
energy, money and belongings. Not long after she was settled in her
first apartment she gave away her bed to someone she felt needed it
more!
Joan stayed involved in X-Project beyond the 50
year celebration, even though she was living in the nursing home and
in a wheelchair. Some of the X-Project members would often visit her
at the R.K. She would find a way and a friend to get to special
events. Until she was no longer able to do so just her last few years
she would try to have meetings at the nursing home and looked forward
to having friends come to the R.K. to make up the Christmas Treat Bags
for all the kids in the communities.
In the beginning years
Joan would call upon her friends in Antigonish to drive St F X
students to the X-Project communities. Then for years she would seek
annual funding to rent school buses to drive the hundreds of students.
Then one day there was a blue school bus parked in Joan’s
driveway and she would drive the students to the communities and kids
from the communities in to Antigonish for events. This was the love of
her life for over 50 years!
Joan also volunteered as a Scout leader for over
35 years, leading Cub Packs from Antigonish and all X-Project
communities in weekly meetings, special events and summer camps at
Stillwater and Monks Head! She often reminisced about these camps,
many friends and her parents who enjoyed the camps with her!
Joan earned the Silver Acorn award for her dedication to
scouting. She was inducted into the African Canadian Heritage and
Friendship Centre in Guysborough. She was inducted into the Hall of
Thoughts in 1991 and has received the Canada 125 medal and many
community awards. She received an honorary X-ring in 1990 and an
Honorary Doctorate of Laws from St. Francis Xavier University in May
2006. On October 3, 2006 Joan received the Order of Nova Scotia at a
ceremony in Halifax.
Joan is survived by her sister Judy
(Ken) Watson, Victoria, B.C. Joan had a very special relationship with
her mother who passed away in 1999. She will be lovingly remembered by
her many friends all over the world.
Her family would like to say a special thanks to
all her wonderful friends, the staff of the R.K.MacDonald Home and in
particular two friends – Dr.Mary Hurst and Jean Nicol who
have been there for Joan for many years.
At her request, her remains have been cremated. A
memorial celebration of her life will take place at a later date. In
lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s memory may be made to X
–Project and sent to The Advancement Department, 5005 Chapel
Square, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada B2G 2W
All who knew and loved Joan are invited to a
Celebration of Life for her at the St F X Chapel on Saturday, May 12
at 11 am; to be followed by a reception.
As per Joan’s wishes, we are planning a
Celebration of Her Life this summer. It will be July 7 or 14, 2018.
All Joan’s friends are invited! Please contact Jean @
j.nicol@live.ca if you would like to attend and we will send more
information as to time and place. Online condolences:
www.clcurry.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Joan Grant Dillon 19342018.source
Death notice for the town of: Antigonish, Province: Nova Scotia