Joan Cairns

Joan Cairns

November 27, 1929 ~ September 30th, 2022

Picture this…Angels running around shouting ‘Let's go! Joanie is here!’…they line the road of gold with trumpets blaring and welcome this extraordinary lady! That’s what we see when we think of our moms leaving earth and entering heaven.

'Happy Sadness', is the term the family is employing during this challenging time. 

In the early hours of Friday, September 30th, Truth and Recollection Day in Canada, which perfectly embodies her spirit, our amazing mother Joan Cairns ended her assignment here and started a new one in heaven with loved ones that left before. Her parents, Joseph and Abigail Van Stavel (nee Adams), our father Norman, 45 years earlier, her brothers Joe and Frank, sisters Annette Saunders and Joy Hendricks…what a reunion! 

Born in Queenstown South Africa, a daughter of a pastor, Joan was a fierce woman of faith and taught us all how to implement that in our daily lives. Along with this, she was an educator for almost 40 years; 25 years at Elsies River Central in Cape Town, and 15 years at Minnetonka School in Winnipeg, Canada. She was loved by her students and faculty alike. Many students to this day, now mothers and fathers themselves still comment on the impact she made on their lives.

We, her children, Jill Cairns-Dukes (Todd), Lesley Falk (Dwayne), Patrick (Rhonda), grandsons Keenan (Amanda), Nory (Stef) Brendan (Harry) and Rayel say, ‘See you again Mom!’

The funeral service will be held Thursday, Oct 6th, 2022, at 1 pm at Transcona Memorial United Church on 209 Yale Avenue West. In lieu of flowers, please donate to theanwarjakoetfoundation.com and the First Steps Wellness Centre Inc.