Joan Carole Gower (née: Hamre) passed away on Tuesday, May 27th,
2025 at the age of 89 years, after a short stay in hospice care.
Joan was born on March 20th, 1936, to Harry and Ruby Hamre in
Swift Current, Saskatchewan. As a child of a Royal Bank
manager, she spent her childhood moving to different towns and
cities and had many fond memories of the friends she met and
communities she lived in along the way.
Joan’s parents moved to Craik, SK in 1951 and she completed her
high school there. She met and later married Ronald Ivan Gower
on July 1st, 1955 at the Craik United Church. They went on to
raise their three children in Craik as well as running the
family hardware store on Main Street. Joan became the SGI Motor
License Issuer for Craik for a time, as well as being a full
time homemaker.
Joan was involved in many community and church groups, including
the UCW, Order of the Easter Star, L.O.B.A., Willing Workers and
spent many years leading the United Church Choir and singing
with the Sweet Adelines and her Sweet Adeline Quartet group she
helped form. She loved spending time each summer at the family
cabin at Emma Lake as well as travelling with Ron when time
allowed, making memories in Hawaii and Florida. She also
travelled to Tanzania for a family visit and Safari that she
really enjoyed, as well as travelling to see family in
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
In the fall of 2020, Joan moved into Westminster Care Home in
Regina, SK where she happily lived as a resident until recently,
when health concerns had her moved to Grace Hospice.
She was predeceased by her parents, Harry and Ruby Hamre;
husband, Ronald Gower; and brother, Douglas Hamre. Joan is
survived by her children: Colleen (Allen) Spencer, David
(Christine) Gower, and Bruce Gower; grandchildren: Steven
(Jennilee) Spencer, Keith (Kadria) Spencer, Nicholas and Jayden
Gower, and Brice (Flor) Gower and Brick and Shayla Gower; as
well as great-grandchildren: Fayth and Brandt Spencer, Aidan and
Kieran Spencer; as well as many other family and friends.
The family wishes to send out a huge Thank You to all the staff
at Westminster Care Home in Regina for all the love and care
they provided Joan during her last few years, as well as staff
and doctors at Pasqua Hospital and Grace Hospice in Regina who
provided exemplary care in the last few weeks of her life.
The Funeral Service will be held on Monday, June 23rd, 2025 at
11:00 AM at Craik United Church in Craik, SK. Michelle Rohde
will officiate, and lunch will be served at the Craik Community
Legion Hall following the service. A private family interment
will take place in Craik Cemetery. As an expression of
sympathy, donations in Joan’s name may be made to Craik United
Church, 440 1st Ave, Craik, SK S0G 0V0. Arrangements are
entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane.
Michelle Ellis, Funeral Director 306-693-4550
www.moosejawfuneralhome.com
