BOUTTELL, Joan Bouttell

Joan passed away peacefully on Thursday March 19th in the Palliative Care Room at Bowmanville Hospital, just three days after her 58th Wedding Anniversary. All of her family had been able to visit during her final days. She had valiantly battled cancer for nine years. Left with many wonderful memories of her life are husband Dave, daughters Debbie (Mark) and Ruth (Fraser), son Davey and grandchildren Anthony (Jenn), Devon (Soara), Brock (Sydney), Madeleine, Jasper and Evelyn Jie, sisters-in-law Liz and Mandy (England), brother-in-law Martin (Kathleen), nephew Daren (Cheryl) niece Nicky and cousin Ian (Pat). Sadly she will not meet her first expected great grandchild, but was excited to see the ultrasound video and had already knitted a baby blanket. She was always fiercely proud of her children and grandchildren.

Joan Bouttell was the older daughter of Ernest and Mildred Cortman. She was born on August 13th 1944 in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, England. Following WWII service in the Royal Air Force, Ernest became a village policeman so the family moved around various villages in the Burnley area. Joan went to Nelson Grammar School where she was the only girl in Sciences, then attended St.Katharine’s College Liverpool for teacher training.

In 1966, following her first year of teaching in the slums of Liverpool, Joan and a college friend decided to go camping in Germany. A chance meeting at a camp site in Bacharach Am Rhein would change her life forever. Here she met Dave Bouttell. Within two years she and Dave had secured jobs in Canada, moved to Oshawa and were married.

The arrival of three children did not deter her from her passion for teaching. She taught in Oshawa (St. Christopher), Whitby (St. John the Evangelist), Ajax (St. Bernadette, St. James) and Pickering (St. Mary). Additionally she served as a Science Resource Teacher, Assistant Department Head, was Chair of the first Affirmative Action Committee, Chair of the Regional Science Fair Committee and Chair of the Teacher Association Local Economic Advisory Committee and Instructor in Primary/Junior Science for the University of Toronto (OISE) Master of Education program. She actively encouraged girls to go into the Sciences and was widely respected by students, teachers and parents alike. During this time she also achieved one of her personal goals, graduating with a B.Sc. in Anthropology from Trent University.

In 1976 the family purchased a cottage on Lake Kashwakamak. Formative years and many happy memories for family and many friends were made there. This year at Thanksgiving the family will celebrate 50 years of cottaging. Joan will be there.

Retirement allowed her more time to indulge in other favourite pursuits. Knitting, tapestry, quilting, aquafit and over forty years of highly competitive bridge. If she was not working at one of the above she was reading. When all three of her oldest grandchildren moved to Switzerland travel became an absolute necessity. From Switzerland she was able to travel widely spending lengthy periods of time in Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Ships took her to Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Argentina, Uruguay and around Cape Horn to Chile. But she often had her happiest moments hanging out with the beautiful people of Cuba where she spent a couple of weeks almost every winter after retirement.

As cancer took its toll and she was gradually unable to do many of her favourite activities she faced it with strength, often saying “a good life, no regrets”. During the past nine years she had amazing help from many doctors and nurses at Princess Margaret Hospital, Lakeridge Health Bowmanville and the Durham Regional Cancer Centre at Lakeridge Health Oshawa. In particular should be mentioned Dr. Anthony Craig Woods and his nurse Magda who were always just a phone call away and would act immediately to assist Joan.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.