Obituary of JoAnn King

With peace and love in our hearts, we share the passing of our beautiful sister JoAnn. At fifty-nine years of age JoAnn passed away peacefully in the arms of her sister, Nancy. She was surrounded by a nursery of fresh sweet tulips. JoAnn’s life unfolded like the weaving of a rich tapestry. Every fibre rich and diverse, interwoven with love, kindness and gratitude. She treasured her family, deeply appreciated her friends, cherished her career and valued community service. All mindfully connected to serve a greater good, her legacy is one of dedication to enriching the lives of others. Most important to JoAnn was how she touched for their good, the lives of others, no matter how they came into her life. Her own experiences of excellence in university, success in her career and commitment to community services, she was too modest to trumpet her substantial achievements JoAnn was a deeply sensitive, wise and generous friend. Never judgemental, she was a thoughtful listener and a trustworthy confidante. One of her gifts was a desire to help others and to make them feel valued. One of her close friends recently said, “I always had the feeling that she only saw what was best in me, and was not hesitant to express this.” Early in her career she was a strong supporter of Spencer House, working together with the Halifax Social Planning Department to create Senior Centres, a Senior’s Council and luncheon programs throughout Halifax. Mirroring this in her private life, she took special interest in helping seniors remain independent in the community while ensuring supports were available to maintain the best quality of life. Later, she became the Manager of the Applications Department of the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority. As a passionate advocate, she led with integrity and fairness. She championed the development of partnerships with universities and community groups to reduce the isolation and loneliness that so many tenants experienced. She was the driving force behind nutrition programs, wellness events, and medical & mental health clinics. She was most proud of spearheading Tenant Associations throughout public housing, which provided a platform for tenants to voice concerns and to act. She prided herself in fostering a collaborative, transparent work culture, and ensured they celebrated all victories, no matter how small. JoAnn will be remembered for her elaborate April Fool’s Day tricks, that took her months of thoughtful planning which she enjoyed immensely. Each year the she would create tricks that were specific to each person and got more and more sophisticated as the years went by, keeping all of us on our toes. JoAnn was an active volunteer throughout her entire life. Many local and provincial events or emergencies called upon JoAnn’s skills and dedication; Swiss Air, Tall Ships, ECMAs, Canada Games, IIHF World Championships, the Nova Scotia Tattoo, the list is long. She was reliable and trusted. She made a point of always leaving a “How to Manual” at the end of her projects, in an effort to make it easier for those who followed. As recently as several months ago, JoAnn was volunteering with the YMCA Aqua Fit Program at the NS Rehabilitation Centre. Over the years, she sat on the Boards of many local organizations, championing the causes of the most vulnerable; particularly giving voice to those struggling with mental illness. JoAnn loved politics and was never one to shy away from a good political debate. She was a strong supporter of many Liberal candidates over the years and could always be counted on to step up and get any job done. Chairing campaigns, organizing committees or knocking on doors, she was all in! She’d smile and before you knew it, you were also signed up. JoAnn loved to travel, chasing the sun, Broadway shows or just to play a few hands of blackjack in Las Vegas. And she loved to shop; tailored shirts and footwear, with the new styles of each season delighting her. This also brought the ritual of culling and giving away to family and friends. What brought her the greatest joy in life was her relationship with “her boys”, her three beloved nephews. The love, devotion and wisdom she showered on Christopher, Geoffrey and Brendan solidified deep lasting loving relationships. They in turn loved her to the moon and back. From early in their lives, wherever JoAnn was engaged, whether it was work, sports, politics, or travelling; the boys would always be in tow. She inspired them to live their lives fully with generosity and gratitude. JoAnn’s deep love for her great nephews, Theo and Thomas provided great comfort over the last few years. She greatly enjoyed sharing her model trains with her great nephews, part of her grander plan of developing a new generation of model train enthusiasts. She was also an important figure in the lives of Allison and Sam, no matter where they resided. Celebrating birthdays, family barbeques, ensuring the “Easter Bunny” knew where to leave goodies, beach days and quiet evenings brought great joy. They adored her and she cherished being a loving and supportive aunt. With the arrival of her great nieces Olivia and Maggie she was thrilled to have more girls in the family. We are all humbled by the love, generosity, and compassion of JoAnn’s legacy. She will be deeply missed by her sister Nancy (Gerry Beck), Halifax, NS, and nephews Christopher, Halifax NS; Geoffrey (Cecilia Newton) great nephews Theo and Thomas, Lunenburg, NS; and Brendan, Halifax, NS. She is survived by her brother, Scott (Brenda) Greenwood, NS; and niece Allison (Andrew Davis), great nieces Olivia and Maggie, Comox, BC; and Sam King, Halifax, NS. Celebration of Life will take place at a later date. In lieu of donations, JoAnn’s wish was for friends and family to enjoy quality time with the people they love. A slideshow in JoAnn’s memory can be viewed by visiting https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/XT5CR3P73P83633X .