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Joan Lillian Christian (nee Hadfield)


It is with deep sadness that the family of Joan Lillian Christian announces her sudden passing in her home at Parkview Manor in Midway on April 19, 2012, at the age of 72 years.

Joan was born at Island View, York County, New Brunswick, on February 12, 1940. The family moved to Langley, B.C., in 1944. She had her first four years of schooling at Sperling School. Joan was in CGIT and the church choir. Next, school was in Milner and then on to Langley High. In 1957 the family moved to Tynehead in Surrey and owned and operated Hadfield’s General Store & Garage/Gas Station. Shortly after that Joan moved to Vancouver and worked for BC Tel as a long distance telephone operator. She met, and then later married Bill Christian on June 26, 1968, at Olympia, WA, U.S.A. Joan had also lived in Parksville, Aldergrove and Kamloops. In 1980 Bill and Joan moved to Flaxcombe, SK, where she worked at the Kindersley Senior Care, Sunset Lodge. Joan had a severe stroke in 1998, which caused her early retirement. Bill an Joan moved to Greenwood, B.C., in September 2001 and Bill passed away March 20, 2002. Joan had no children. Joan became a member of Grand Forks Legion and was also active in the Greenwood Community Association as well as the Greenwood Museum. Joan moved to Parkview Manor at Midway in August 2009 where she spent her last days. Joan loved animals and loved to watch the hummingbirds at their feeder. Joan was very creative in crafts and artwork and loved to grow flowers and loved listening to country music.

Survivors include her brother. Bill Hadfield (Karen) of Nanticoke, ON; her sister, Linda Hiles (Clark) of Kamloops, B.C., Joan’s many nieces and nephews in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. Bill had four children. Stepchildren of Joan are Linda Bartman (Garry) of N. Delta, B.C., Dave Sort of Qualicum Beach, B.C., Robert Sort (Rosemarie) of Calgary, AB and Mary Parisien of Ile Perrot, Q.C. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, William and Gertrude Hadfield and her younger brother, Robert (Bob) Hadfield.

A thank you to her dearest companions Betty Bitz and Matt Shippet for always being there for her. Also a thank you to her new friends and staff at Parkview Manor.

A small celebration of life was held at Parkview Manor in Midway on April 25, 2012, in the afternoon. Her ashes will be interned at Langley Lawn Cemetery by her mother’s grave. Condolences may be forwarded to Grand Forks Funeral Home at gffh@shaw.ca. Arrangements entrusted to the Baker family of Grand Forks Funeral Home.



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