Joanne Grace Stafford – April 7th, 1939 – January 6th, 2021
Joanne was born in Chaplin, Sask. She was raised on the family farm and attended school in Chaplin. She moved away to Gull Lake where she was a waitress. Later she moved to Piapot to work in Bowie’s General Store. It was after a dance one night where she met Dad. They were married November 17th, 1961 and began their life together.
In those early years Archie worked a variety of jobs working on Gardner Dam, road construction and as a grain buyer seeing them live in Davidson, Frontier, Macoun, Blucher and finally in 1964 back to Davidson where Archie worked on road construction and later for the Town of Davidson.
While in Davidson Mom worked at what in those days was called babysitting. Today it would be private day care – anyway she looked after 1 child along with her own 2. In 1973 they moved to Craik where Archie took a position as custodian with the School Division and where they made their home after that. Aside from being a homemaker she worked for several years as a janitor cleaning first the Royal Bank, then the Royal Bank and RCMP Detachment and lastly only the RCMP Detachment building.
While there was never a lot of money in the household there was always enough to eat and always more than enough love and laughter which more than made up for material things that we did not have.
Mom was not much of a traveller and stuck close to home. They did take 2 big trips over the years; 1 on a summer vacation with the kids through Yellowstone Park and one later in life along with friends to dance to the Emeralds in Edmonton, Alberta. Mom loved to dance and was a very good dancer. She and Dad, along with others started the ‘Over 40’ Club in Craik and served on the executive for many years. They met and made many friends during the dance times. Mom also loved to play cards. Hours too many to count were spent over games of Whist, Canasta, Rummy and various other card games.
Mom’s first diagnosis with cancer came in about 1995 after which she never was what one could call well again. Over the next 27 years Mom went through 2 more Cancer diagnosis’ with the last about 5 years ago. Never once throughout all those years did she ever complain about having cancer 3 times, nor of its affects. Even near the end when she was in so much visible pain did she complain. She died peacefully the evening of January 6th. Despite all this hardship at 81 years old she hardly had a grey hair on her head or a wrinkle on her face.
Joanne leaves to mourn her passing and celebrate her life her loving husband of 59 years Archie along with her son Rod (Carmela) Stafford and Rod’s step-children; Collen Stark, Kailey Miller, Camara Froese and Keaton Miller and their families, daughter Debbie (Peter) Cosh, special sister-in-law Ida Stewart and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents George and Nancy Pauliuk, brother Robert (Bob) Pauliuk, brother David Pauliuk, daughter-in-law Janice Stafford and special brother-in-law Ashley Stewart, parents-in-law John Stafford and Eva Stafford and other inlaws.
The family would like to thank Dr. Yadav and the Saskatoon Cancer Clinic, Dr. Lang and the staff of the Davidson Health Care facility. A private family service was held January 15th with internment in the Craik Cemetery.
Donations in Joanne’s memory can be made to either the Canadian Cancer Society or the Davidson Health Trust Fund .
Arrangements are entrusted to Hanson’s Funeral Home – Davidson.