Obituary of Joan Frances Gardiner

Joan Frances (Faulkner) Gardiner Age 86, Halifax, passed away peacefully March 12, 2018 at Ivany Place in Bedford. Born in Dartmouth, N.S., she was a daughter of the late Charles Gordon and Annie Frances (Kelly) Faulkner. After leaving high school, Joan attended Miss Murphy’s Business College, and later in life acquired her GED. Over the years, she worked at Eaton’s, DND (Refrigeration Shop), NSPC, and finally returned to DND, where she worked until retirement. She did volunteer work and was a Brownie Leader. She was athletic and played sports well into her 70’s. Despite her lack of height, she was a guard on her high school basketball team. She was the catcher on a competitive softball team, while her twin sister was the pitcher. There she met her future husband, the home plate umpire for many of her games. She bowled in women’s and mixed leagues, excelled at golf, and won many awards. She spent her summers at her cottage on the Northumberland Strait and served two terms as Ladies Club President at Northumberland Links Golf Club. She loved to knit, crochet, sew, bake, and do the NY Times crossword puzzle. She enjoyed watching hockey games, and was a season ticket holder for the Halifax Mooseheads Hockey Team. She is survived by her son, Kenneth (Kim); daughter, Wendy (Jim Naugler); sister, Mary Huston, Michigan; brother-in-law, Ed Andrews; sister-in-law, Kathy Faulkner; Granddaughters, Kaitlin (Naugler) Stanzel (Roger), Brittany Naugler (Shawn Leahey); Great-grandson, Ethan Stanzel; Godson, Scott Andrews; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Kenneth ‘Bud’ Gardiner in 2015; brothers, Stanley, Roy, Clyde, Gordon, Alan, Charles, and Eric; sisters, Marjorie, Jean (twin), and Shirley. Memorial Service will be held Friday, March 23, at 10 am in St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 3 Dakin Drive, Birch Cove. Interment of ashes will take place at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of NS. Special thanks to the staff of Fiddler’s Cove, especially Angela, Tracy, and Joan, for their care and compassion in her final hours. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to T.J. Tracey Cremation and Burial Specialists, Bedford (902) 835-4212. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.tjtracey.com.