Joan Dorothy Hodges (née Tait) passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 7, 2020 at the age of 80.
Joan was born in 1940 in Fergus Ontario and following elementary school in London Ontario, lived for most of her life in Barrie and Oro-Medonte. She met her husband Dale in grade 10 at Barrie Collegiate Highschool and they have been together ever since, celebrating 58 years of marriage on August 24, 2020. Joan graduated from University of Toronto, Faculty of Education in 1962 and became a teacher, a job she loved. She took 10 years off from teaching to have two boys, Brian and Bruce. After returning to teaching in the seventies, Joan, who was an exemplar of lifelong learning herself, returned to school to earn a Master of Education at University of Toronto in 1988. Joan touched the lives of generations of Barrie students until her retirement in 1995.
Following retirement, Joan found new ways to give back. She worked for 12 years as a volunteer in the textile collection of the Simcoe County Museum and archives. Joan brought to this work her life-long interests in spinning, weaving, stitchery, crocheting and needlepoint. Combining these interests with her background as an educator, Joan wrote a book ‘History by the Stitch”, chronicling the lives of 18 and 19th century women and the role of stitchery as an educational tool.
Joan loved the water. From her early years teaching swimming in Shanty Bay, Joan advanced to become a competitive synchronized swimmer. After years of swimming in Kempenfelt Bay she moved with Dale to live at Amica Newmarket where she continued to swim until recently.
Joan was predeceased by her mother and father Dorothy and Douglas Tait. She is survived by her sister Jackie Collings (Tom), her sons Brian (Robert) and Bruce (Susan) and grandchildren Jack and Sara Hodges.
Joan will be interred in a private family ceremony at Barrie Union Cemetery where generations of Hodges and Tait family members rest.
In lieu of flowers, donation are welcome to the Simcoe County Museum and Archives online or by calling 705-728-3721.