JOAN YVONNE HAMPTON OLAFSON (PAULSON)

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

JOAN YVONNE HAMPTON OLAFSON (nee PAULSON) Peacefully at the Grace Hospital on March 31, 2007, after a two-year battle with cancer, our sweet gentle mother, grandmother, sister and friend went home to be with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Left to cherish her memory are four dear sons and daughters-in-law, Ron and Robin, Randy and Leigh, Kevin and Kim and Kerry and Linda, 12 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; three stepdaughters, Doris (Frank Stucky), Daphne Webb, and Diane (Ernie Monkman), nine stepgrandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; brother Jim Paulson, sisters, Joyce Waldner and Betty (Howard Unger); brother-in-law Henry Hampton and sisters-in-law, Nettie Hampton, Pearl Boutillier, Alice Watson; nieces and nephews. Joan was predeceased by husband Ron Hampton, second husband Tom Olafson, and her parents, Peter and Phyllis Paulson. Joan was born December 8, 1933, and lived her first nine years in Balsam Bay. Her family then moved to Charleswood. As a young teen, she was drawn to the Moonlight Inn at Victoria Beach and a dashing young man named Ronnie Hampton. In 1953 they were married and over the next few years filled their home with four rambunctious boys. During this time, Ronnie started Hampton Interiors in his basement with Joannie doing a lot of his sewing. They spent many happy years living alongside all the Paulson family in Charleswood. The highlight of their life was buying a cottage in Victoria Beach where Ronnie had been born and raised and spending many wonderful family times there. In 1980 Joan's life changed suddenly with Ronnie's death. Joan worked with her sister Betty for several years at ICG, before marrying Tom Olafson and residing at Victoria Beach. Once again she stood by her husband's side catching, filleting and selling fish. When the fishing was done for the season, the trailer was quickly packed and the snow birds headed south. She so enjoyed travelling. Life again changed drastically when Tom took sick and died in 1995. Joannie stayed at the beach and then became the primary care giver for her mother and then her dad. Joannie was an adventurer and after taking a memorable boat trip to Norway House with Tom was very disappointed that due to her illness she had to see Ronnie Jr. and Kerry canoe to York Factory in 2005 without her. Man, if I was only two years younger, she exclaimed. Joan did not seek out the spotlight. She would rather work behind the scenes, giving a perm to an elderly aunt, altering everybody and anybody's clothes, visiting families in distress, soothing a grandchild who had an aching heart, praying earnestly for all her blended family and the list goes on. Joan was committed to thinking the best of everyone and doing whatever she could to help them. She was a remarkable woman and we will all miss her. Joan cherished the friendships she made while attending and serving in many ways at St. James Gospel Chapel and later Wayside Gospel Chapel, Grand Marais. Her family and church family were a real help and comfort to her through many difficult times but it was her faith in Christ and what He did for her on the cross of Calvary that gave her the sure hope of Heaven that meant so much to her in life and then in death. Now for a time we say good-night to one of the bright lights in our lives, which dimmed and for a moment seemed to go out, but in that moment our Lord stood there in all His glory, took her in His arms and said, Well done thou good and faithful servant... Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Many thanks to everyone at CancerCare, HSC and the Grace Hospital who cared for Joan, especially Dr S Navaratnam. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Westwood Community Church, 401 Westwood Dr., on Thursday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. A funeral service with viewing prior to service will be held at the Victoria Beach Sports Club, Pine Road, on Friday, April 6 at 11:00 a.m. with interment at VB Community Cemetery. Pallbearers are grandsons: Dan, Glen, Kyle, Drew, Peter, Brett, Tyler (Hampton); honorary pallbearers: Denny and Tom Stucky, Sig Kraft, Chris Park and Jeremy Hiebert. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Faith Bible Camp, PO Box 42059, RPO Ferry Rd., Winnipeg, MB R3J 3X7. Donation envelopes available at services. Arrangements entrusted to Anderson Family Funeral Home, Ashern, MB, 1-866-293-3582.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 04, 2007