JOAN BURDETTE PETERSON

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JOAN BURDETTE PETERSON (nee ORR) On December 15, 2016, Joan, our beloved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt passed away, 10 days after her 87th birthday. She left this world just the way she had always wished for, peacefully, in her sleep. Left to mourn are daughter Terry Thomson (Ken), son Kevin (Margo), son Brent (Linda), grandchildren Laurie Koop (Rob), Bobbi Skrynyk (Craig), Jody Hessell (Darren), Jennifer Warkentin (Jeff), Michael Peterson (Kristy), and Ryan Peterson (Diana), as well as 14 great-grandchildren, sister Connie Richardson, and several nieces and nephews. Joan was predeceased by husband Robert (Bob), her parents, brother Frank Orr, and mother-in-law Irene. Family was extremely important to Joan and she never missed an opportunity to attend family gatherings. The annual family Christmas dinner was an event that she looked forward to every year and this past Christmas was no exception. She hosted the dinner at her residence on December 10, just days before her untimely passing. She always planned this event well in advance to maximize the attendance of family members. Joan's greatest interest in sports was with PGA Golf, and she watched every PGA tournament on TV, without fail, recording it, if she was going to be out and away from the TV. Her favourite golfers were Fred Couples and Johnny Miller. She once took a trip to Hawaii, mostly because Fred Couples was playing in a tournament there and she wanted to see him play, in person. She enjoyed traveling, especially with family. One of the more memorable trips was in celebration of her 80th birthday. On this occasion, she took a Caribbean cruise with her three children and their spouses. Joan also found great pleasure in going "to the lake" with Terry and Ken, something she did quite often. She also enjoyed attending luncheons with colleagues and friends from her employment with the province. Her other interests included crosswords, jig saw puzzles and big band music. Joan was employed with the Transcona- Springfield School Division and, prior to her retirement, the Province of Manitoba. During her working career, she was the "bread winner" of the family for many years due to husband Bob's poor health. While working, she also was the care provider for Bob and eventually Irene, her mother-in-law. She did this through love of her family and we never heard her complain about the hand that she had been dealt. Joan was truly an amazing woman and she is greatly missed by all who had the good fortune to be in her family or her friend. A private family gathering to celebrate Joan's life and her contributions to the family will take place this summer. If friends so wish, a contribution in Joan's memory may be made to a charity of their choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 20, 2017