Obituary of Joyce Wood
Joyce Wood (nee James)
Joyce was born on a perfect sunny morning in Manchester, England on October 28, 1926. Years later she met her husband Arnold, got married and emigrated to Canada. Soon after settling in Toronto, Ontario they joyfully welcomed their son Christopher to the world in 1960. He was a pleasant surprise as doctors had told Joyce she could not bear children. The three of them enjoyed travelling across North America and sailing on Lake Ontario.
When Joyce was not busy working at the offices of Steel Art, Hitachi, or Northern Elevator, she enjoyed baking shortbread and mince pies from scratch, figuring out tough daily Toronto Star crossword puzzles, and dancing at the Legion with her friends to Big Band music. To the very end she savored an afternoon glass of sherry and reading a grim British murder mystery novel.
After retirement you could often find Joyce volunteering at North York General Hospital in the Day Surgery and Radiology departments where she served for over 20 years. Evenings would find her practicing trivia with Jeopardy and giving baseball tips to the Blue Jays through her TV.
What Joyce loved most of all, even more than wildlife and particularly elephants, was her family. She is forever cherished by her son Christopher and his wife Karen. She was a loving Nana to Tristan and wife Stef, Veronica and husband Armen, and often housemate Rebecca. Her great-grandchildren Carlos, Logan and Juliet enjoyed playing and reading books with Nana.
In recent years Joyce became a weekly ‘regular’ at Auntie Mary’s Fish and Chips restaurant and stretch and balance exercise classes at a local church. Moving to Pickering meant leaving behind her incredible family of Scarborough neighbours, including Linda and family, Maija, John and Mona. Joyce always appreciated their help with shoveling snow, putting out garbage bins, and getting groceries. In the spring of 2018, after many delays, Joyce had to leave her home of 55 years and move in with her son and family in Pickering.
Last November Joyce was convinced by her family to accompany them on an adventure through Italy and across the Atlantic. Each family member enjoyed taking turns holding hands with Nana as she had accidentally lost her cane the moment she arrived in Rome. On the cruise Joyce participated in trivia games, loved the stage shows, and twice told fellow cruisers she was not interested in meeting their elderly widowed fathers.
On Thursday March 21, 2019 Joyce Wood passed away peacefully surrounded by family at Rouge Valley Centenary Hospital. She was predeceased by her husband Arnold Wood and brothers Stan and Alfred Hitchen. Joyce leaves behind family and friends that will always remember her as a beautiful woman who spoke honestly and had a big heart. She is and will be sorely missed. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to your local animal shelter.
We welcome you to share in memories, photos and sentiments of her life on this webpage.
Uniquely entrusted to eco Cremation & Burial Services Inc.
Life Celebrations. Done Differently.
