Joy attended Trafalgar High School in Cape Town, South Africa. She graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1960 with a BA, majoring in English and a minor in music. She obtained her Secondary Teacher’s Diploma in 1961 and started teaching at Oakland High in 1962. Her teaching career was cut short when she left for Canada in 1964.
She put her piano playing skills to use when she accompanied the Carillon choir at Transcona United Church for 25 years. She also played the organ for some church services, funerals and weddings (piano); she accompanied Jeff and Carol when they held services at nursing homes such as Park Manor, Concordia Place and Middlechurch. She played for the Carillons when they performed at Christmas time in the mall at Kildonan Place and at the Festival of Lights. Joy also accompanied students both vocal and instrumental (trumpet), for their music exams. She was the organist at Wynberg Congregational Church in Cape Town for many years.
Joy enjoyed attending the performances at the Manitoba Theatre Centre to which we had season tickets for many years. The same can be said for our attendance at the Centennial Concert Hall to listen to the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. The three of us attended scholarship performances by music students at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG).
She enjoyed gardening and would spend hours in the spring and summer in the garden working until it was almost dark. She tried to fill every space and as many pots as she could find with flowering plants.
The first time I met Joy she played De Bussy’s Claire de Lune (Moonlight). Needless to say, at the end of the piece I was “over the moon”. It has been our signature tune ever since that night.
She married Errol on June 20, 1964. These photos capture Joy on perhaps the happiest day of her life and also show the people who helped Joy become the person we knew and loved.
After a quick farewell trip to part of South Africa , they left for Winnipeg. She worked at the Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba in the Reference Department from 1966 to 1972. Not only did she become an avid reader but also a collector of books, more than she could find the time to read. This avid reading characteristic she passed on to Arlene who reads the daily newspaper from page 1 to the last page of the last section.
Arlene was born in April of 1976. From that moment Joy dedicated her life to being the best mother for Arlene that she could be. Early in the morning on January 5, shortly before she passed away, she was still asking me her favourite question; Where is Arlene? Although she was an accomplished pianist, she still enrolled for piano lessons with Virginia Heinrichs. The reason was twofold: she wanted to encourage Arlene with her piano lessons and music exams; and at the same time she was making sure that her own skills stayed fine tuned.
In the late sixties, throughout the seventies and early eighties, Joy loved to travel to Halifax to visit her brother Frank and his family and New Market, Ontario to visit her sister Annette and her family. She saw Niagra Falls on our first trip to New Market in 1966. We also went west to Vancouver and Kamloops to visit with my side of the family. We had some great times on those trips. We even visited the famous Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island on one of those trips to the west.
During the summer of 1965 Joy and I travelled through Europe, visiting 9 countries, 16 cities in 29 days. She bought many souvenirs.
May her soul rest in peace.
If you wish, you can make charitable donations in her name to The Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba.
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved wife and mother.
Our profound loss is shared by many relatives and friends.
Joy was the youngest child of Rev Joseph and Abigail (nee Adams) van Stavel. She was predeceased by her parents, parents in law Rev Edgar and Olive Hendricks, her two brothers Joe and Frank, sister in law Alice (Frank), four brothers in law Isaac Saunders, Norman Cairns, Brian Hendricks and Fred Walker and dearly beloved Katie Booysen.
She will be lovingly remembered by her husband Errol and daughter Arlene, her sisters Annette Saunders, Joan Cairns, sisters in law Nerine Walker, Estelle Hendricks and their extended families.
Joy was very involved with the music program at Transcona United Church for 25 years. She was a kind, gentle, loyal and very generous lady.
Joy and Errol arrived in Winnipeg from Cape Town, South Africa on August 14, 1964 shortly after their marriage, two months earlier on June 20.
Cremation has already occurred. Arrangements for interment will happen at a later date.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Joy Elizabeth Hendricks van Stavel Tuesday January 5th 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Oakbank, Province: Manitoba