Obituary of Jocelyn Grace Faulkner

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Jocelyn Grace Faulkner, age 70, on December 13th, 2022. Jocelyn passed peacefully, with family by her side, at the Halifax Infirmary, following an acute respiratory illness. Born to Frank and Florence (née Nichols) Hope, Jocelyn is survived by the love of her life, Dr. Gary Faulkner; her son, Thomas Faulkner; her daughter and son-in-law, Gillian and Neil Parekh; and her granddaughters, Isla and Kaia. Jocelyn is also survived by her dear sisters and their husbands, Adrienne and Mark Harris and Heather and Paul Rose; her sister-in-law, Bonnie Faulkner; as well as her much-loved nieces and nephews, Emily, Laura, Dylan, Trevor, Matthew, Stephanie, Heather and Steve and their families. Following high school, Jocelyn established herself as a scholar, educator and deeply committed advocate, earning a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Microbiology/Immunology, a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, Jocelyn specialized in innovative phonemic-based literacy interventions and language comprehension programs, working with youth and adults across Nova Scotia. Through her work, Jocelyn was known for her advocacy and was often called upon to support families and their children as they navigated the education, social services, and judicial systems. Jocelyn was also immensely creative and spent much of her time cultivating her art. Following her retirement, Jocelyn used her gifts of crafting and design (knitting, crochet, felting, and rug hooking) to brighten the lives of others. She was infinitely generous and gifted her crafts to let others know how much she valued and cared for them. It would not be unusual to have a visit with Jocelyn and leave with a new hat or ornament, or to receive a package by mail with a specially made scarf or crocheted figure, every colour and detail selected to reflect her artistic vision. Jocelyn was fiercely loyal to her family and friends and loved them dearly. Her favourite moments were the small ones, playing cards and enjoying a sweet with friends, teaching her grandchildren how to knit and make jam, laughing and reminiscing over old stories, and moments of prayer and reflection. Jocelyn was an avid reader, held a strong faith, and even in hard times, saw beauty in everything and everyone. Sincere thanks to the compassionate health care professionals at the Halifax Infirmary. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jocelyn’s memory to the Ronald McDonald House https://rmhcatlantic.ca/en/hope/ or a charity of your choosing. A memorial service and celebration of life will take place at First Baptist Church Halifax (1300 Oxford St, Halifax, NS) at 1:30pm on December 21st, presided over by Reverend Mark Harris and Reverend Dr. Rusty Edwards. Masks required. For those unable to join in person, the service will be streamed online: https://fbchalifax.ca/fbch-online/. Arrangements have been entrusted to T. J. Tracey Cremation and Burial Specialists, Halifax. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.tjtracey.com