January 17, 1936 - January 12, 2022
Joyce Rankin was a remarkable person. She had so many wonderful adventures like her extensive travelling, training for the British Olympic Swimming Team, singing The Blues innightclubs across Europe, teaching Tahitian dancing in Palinuro and being the first female Computer Programmer in Canada. But along with those adventures she also had true hardshipsthat changed the trajectory of her life like surviving the bombing of London's 'Blitz' and losing her husband early on leaving her to raise two children on her own. Yet she always found a way to rise above it all and move forward with a smile on her face. Usually, she would immerse herself in her job. She had a passion for the field of Law along with her many hobbies such as knitting, sewing, reading, and gardening. She was a consummate gardener!
I will miss the decades of illuminating and lively conversations we had. Whether it was philosophical discourse, politics, history, or the nature of humanity she always had an insightful and logical approach to everything. And she always had a story to illustrate her point. She was a wonderful storyteller and sometimes those stories seemed bigger than life, but amazingly, they were all true. As someone in the family said, 'Joyce was not a boring woman.'
As your daughter I will miss your brilliant logic, your considerate nature, and your uncompromising integrity. Thank you for teaching me the importance of these qualities. You may have lost your health but never your mind. You remained perceptive and engaged to the end- just as you had hoped.
Without you the world is a smaller place, and your family and friends will miss you so much. But none more than me. My Mother, my confidant, my dearest friend. I love you.