In Loving Memory of Dr. Mary “Stella” Joseph
Cherished Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Trailblazer and Healer
With heavy hearts and immense gratitude for a life defined by service, love and laughter, we announce the peaceful passing of Dr. Mary (Stella) Joseph.

Mary was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, physician and mentor. She was predeceased by her beloved husband P.C. Joseph (Joe), parents Mathew and Mary Mathew Kalapura and brother Baby, whose legacy of faith and perseverance lived on through her every action.

She is lovingly survived by her sons Savior (Saj) and Sebastian (Seby), their amazing wives Shakara and Hanika, and her treasured grandchildren Micah (Savior/Shakara) and Caelynn (Sebastian/Hanika) as well as her loving sisters Sally, Lucy and Philomena — each of whom brought light and purpose to her every day. Mary was the heart and soul of her family, the moral compass who shaped her children with strength, empathy, faith and fierce love.

Dr. Joseph dedicated over 35 years of her life to medicine, caring for thousands of patients and serving as a beacon of hope in the communities she looked after. She graduated from Kerela Medical School and came to Canada in 1970, following her husband to the beautiful town of Deer Lake, Newfoundland, Canada. She spent three years in St. John’s completing her Canadian medical degree and residency at Memorial University and the Janeway Children’s Hospital, with her loving husband, driving the 10 hours from Deer Lake to St. John’s each and every weekend to support her education.

Mary was a practicing Doctor in Deer Lake, Newfoundland (1975–2001) and in Canning, Nova Scotia (2001–2012). She combined clinical excellence with heartfelt compassion for her patients. A trailblazer; she was one of very few women in the 1970s and 80s to help advocate and provide support to patients in Western Newfoundland. In 1975, she founded Humber Valley Medical Clinic in Deer Lake, featuring an all-female staff and with a focus on supporting female patients. She went on to found Canning Medical Clinic — also, an all-women-run practice that served countless families and women in the Annapolis Valley. Her passion did not stop at the clinic doors. She inspired numerous girls to pursue a career in medicine with many female doctors following in her footsteps by becoming great healers themselves. Dr. Joseph sponsored and mentored doctors and specialists from around the world, helping them immigrate to Canada and begin their own journey of helping others. Her impact went above and beyond transactional medicine — she had a special way of engaging patients and people, which she willingly passed on to many others who now carry those same values forward.

But those who knew her best, also knew that, as exceptional as she was as a physician, she was an even more phenomenal mother and person. She raised two extraordinary sons, Saj and Seby, with unyielding love, unwavering dedication and the kind of wisdom that set them on a positive path in life. Her pride in them knew no bounds. She celebrated every victory, worked through every struggle and shared every lesson with open arms. This love extended from the love and respect she had for her husband of 44 years, where they travelled the world and created a life full of joyful and meaningful experiences.

Among her many passions was her undeniable love for basketball and surprisingly, highly competitive spirit. Mary was more than just a spectator — she was a team doctor, dedicated supporter and basketball enthusiast, especially when it came to her sons’ games. She spent countless hours courtside cheering on her sons and extended sons, connecting with families and expecting her boys to always dominate and win.
Off the court and outside the clinic, Mary found peace and joy in her garden. After long days of healing others, she would return home, kick off her shoes, and get to work planting, digging and rearranging flower beds — often with her husband recruited (willingly or not) as her assistant and official wheelbarrow driver. The garden became her sanctuary — a place of beauty, order and joy, just like the life she so carefully cultivated for herself and those she loved. She was a legend in the kitchen, feeding her family amazing meals, crafted with love. Those tantalizing flavours were well known, with a large and broad extended group of friends and family often invited to break bread with her. The door to her house was never locked. Laughter, love, a glass of wine and a fully belly was provided to any who entered her home.

Dr. Mary Joseph was the matriarch of her family — strong, nurturing, deeply rooted in love and unwavering in her support for her family. Her legacy lives on through the lives she healed, the daughters and sons she has inspired, the unconditional support she has provided her family and extended community as well as the deep love and joy she felt daily from her family.

The Joseph family invites you to Visitation on Sunday, May 25, 2025 from 2-4pm at McEachnie Funeral Home, 28 Old Kingston Road, Ajax, Ontario and a Funeral Mass on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 from 11am-12pm at Holy Redeemer Church, 796 Eyer Drive, Pickering, Ontario.

A celebration of Mary’s life and mass will also take place on Saturday, August 16, 2025 from 11am-12pm at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 43 Belcher Street, Kentville, Nova Scotia.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations made to the PC & Mary Joseph Scholarship Fund (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www2.acadiau.ca/custom/donation/index.php?program=P.C.*20Joseph*20Leadership*20Award__;JSUl!!OrxsNty6D4my!8C1yviIrppfQTeNTO2L3euAXBMB7mh0x-TEptZEh6Aif-eSTWM95IJ3REa7vCA9INH5jmKwtYfnqjE0FqoOhId0NpeJ4$)

Mary was, and always will be, a force of nature — in medicine, in motherhood and in life.
May her soul rest in eternal peace