"God saw you getting tired and the cure was not to be.
So he wrapped you in his loving arms and whispered "come with me".
You suffered much in silence.
Your spirit did not bend.
You faced your pain with courage.
Until the very end.
You tried so hard to stay with us.
Your fight was all in vain.
God took you in his loving arms.
And saved you from all pain."
Joan Mary Bosse was a fun-loving, resilient woman who overcame many adversities during her 95 years but a Covid-related bout with pneumonia proved too much and she left this world on 2nd July 2022 surrounded by her loving family.
Joan had been preparing for this next chapter for many years. Not a visit went by without her offering a family member some random item to take home because "one day, I'm going to go to Heaven and I won't need this stuff". Of course, she was right as usual.
Her six children fondly remember the daily phone calls to each of them in which she would provide the "latest news" about what each of the others was doing. Stories were usually repeated day after day until something new happened which allowed the daily narrative change.
Her stories were always positive and told with obvious pride and love in her heart. She was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, mentor and the best friend a person could have, and she will be sorely missed by all who loved her.
Joan's life was not without hardships which she overcame with humor, strength and determination. She outlived three husbands, raised six children from her first marriage, and even survived a bout with cancer.
She never complained about anything despite having many reasons to do so. She was the eternal optimist; loving, supportive, and always caring. She told everyone she met how proud she was of her family and they in-turn loved her unconditionally.
Born on 6th March 1927 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to Albert James & Dorothy Daisy Chellew. Joan was the third child of James and Daisy.
She was predeceased by her parents and two older sisters; Evelyn Frances McKay (Vancouver) and Helen Audrey Gray (Trail).
Joan excelled in high-school and was awarded the "silver cup" for academics. Upon graduation from City Park Collegiate in Saskatoon in 1945, Joan entered business school later working at Woolworth's Store for the vast sum of $0.25 an hour. She discovered that a career in business was not for her and in 1947 followed her passion for caring for others into a career in nursing.
She graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1950 and soon started work at Saskatoon General Hospital. Joan quickly progressed to Assistant Supervisor and over the next three years worked in progressively more responsible positions in the Emergency Departments of Saskatoon General Hospital, Vancouver's Shaughnessy Hospital and the Calgary General Hospital before accepting an offer in 1953 to work in Trail at Cominco's first aid department.
"The rest is history" as they say as shortly after her arrival in Trail she was introduced to Alastair Ian MacAskill on a blind date. They married in 1954 and over the next ten years produced six children; Colin James MacAskill (Vancouver), Douglas Malcolm MacAskill (Victoria), Heather Ann Morrison (Trail), Ross Allan MacAskill (Trail), Donna Jean Tjader (Trail) and Sandra Lynn Koch (Trail).
Colin was born on Ian's 28th birthday; 11th August, and was the "best birthday present ever" according to Ian. His siblings might not agree with their father's sentiments, but we'll save that for another day
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