Joan was born in Toronto and soon after that, her parents Nathan and Eunice (Eaton) Hicks moved to the Langstaff (highway #7 and Yonge Street) area. She was the oldest of their children and is survived by her beloved brothers Ron (Nancy), Ross (Carolyn) and sister Frances (George) Mahan.
In Langstaff, she made many friends and chief among them were the girls of the Suter family, Betty, Gladys and Joyce. She liked that family so much that she decided to marry their brother Bob (Robert).
That was the beginning of a life of love and adventure. Together, Joan and Bob, raised their four children, Sharon (Dona Champion), David (Judy Johnston), Ken (Kelly) and Neil (Carol) in a house they built at 88 Westwood Lane in the Langstaff area, staying close to both their parents.
The next house they built was a little summer cabin on Otter Lake where they traveled every weekend and Joan spent the summers with her children. Her dear friend Betty Kirby (Suter) and Bet’s husband Bill spent a lot of time with her up there and Joan and Bob hosted all the Suters and all the Hicks plus their many friends there. Joan was an excellent cook with a focus on healthy and delicious food, she nourished her family and friends.
Joan devoted the largest part of her life to her children, she supported them through ups and downs and encouraged them to be whoever they wanted to be as long as they were happy.
She and Bob traveled all across North America from Alaska to Newfoundland to Mexico, in their Airstream trailer and took many a trip on Georgian Bay in their boat. She excelled at prepping meals in tiny outdoor kitchens and learned to live very simply and efficiently.
Joan and Bob eventually retired to their home on Otter Lake and were very happy there in the woods – they swam or walked every day and Joan made sure they had a delicious and nutritious dinner every night. Joan volunteered at the local woman’s shelter. While there, she became good friends with the woman who ran the shelter, Debby Dudas – this friendship was very important to Joan and their family became a very close and loving part of her and Bob’s family.
In later life, Joan and Bob gave up their home on Otter Lake and moved to a home on Wellington Street in Barrie. Their Friday Night Homemade Pizza Dinners were legendary and it was there that they hosted a huge family and friend party to mark their 60th wedding anniversary. Joan slipped into her wedding dress for that celebration.
Later in retirement, they moved into their final beautiful, light filled home, a life lease unit at Victoria Village in Barrie. Joan was a voracious reader and loved the library there, where she found plenty of novels and thrillers to keep her mind occupied.
Bob left this world 1 ½ years before Joan and she never really got over his passing. In her final hours, she found some comfort in the thought of being with him again. She died peacefully, in her sleep, with family by her side at Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie.
Joan is survived by her loving children and grandchildren; Jessica, Cassandra, Justin, Ryan, Austin, B.J., Steven, Cole, Erin, Ashleigh and Ashley and her great granddaughters, Everleigh and Surreal. As well, she is loved and remembered by her many surviving Suter in-laws and all of her many nieces and nephews.
Cremation has taken place, with arrangements entrusted to the Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Home, 30 Worsley St., Barrie. Interment will be held in the United Church Cemetery in Cherry Valley, Prince Edward County, Ontario on August 7, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.