Obituary for Joanne Marjorie Bates (Dunn)
It is with great sadness to announce the passing of Joanne Marjorie Bates at the age of 78 years of lung disease. Her children Carol and Ken were by her side.
Joanne is survived by her daughter; Carol Evancic (nee Bates) (spouse Dorlyn Evancic) grandchildren; Vanessa Evancic and Carter Evancic, son; Ken Bates (spouse Lynn Johnson) and brother; Richard Dunn (spouse Danielle Dunn). Her parents had pre-deceased her; William (Bill) Dunn (1977) and Isabelle Josephine Dunn (2010). She is also survived by her ex-husband and father of her two children; Jack Bates of Victoria, BC.
Joanne was born in Vancouver, BC but spent her younger years in Port Coquitlam, BC where she attended Viscount Elementary School, Mundy Road School in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam High School.
At the age of 10 years old, she was crowned May Queen in the 13th Annual May Queen Celebration in Coquitlam, BC on May 16, 1953. She was so delighted of this privilege she had written Queen Elizabeth II and Buckingham Place wrote back. An honour for a young girl who was proud to have been chosen. Closing remarks of her May Queen Speech read “It is my sincere wish that from the beginning of my reign the hearts of older folks will be gladdened by the Joy of the children who are my loyal subjects. Let every smile be brightened, let every heart be gay, for now our sports and dances, will grace this happy day.”
Joanne had won awards for gymnastics, in particular Tumbling, as well as for Writing in her teenage years. She spent her career as a topographical draftsperson but due to a car accident injury she retired in the 80’s.
Very humble person, didn’t need much, loved her TV, her pets, gardening and her daily routines and her family. Strongly willed, independent and would listen to what you had to say and offer her advice, but if she didn’t know something she would offer to look it up on Google for you. Her friends had similar interests and passions in life, and they all had nice things to say about her. Loved food, especially sweets and spent hours watching cooking shows, and always had her coffee in hand with her pets close by.
She was very proud of her two kids, Carol and Ken and would always share her sentiments with those around her. People would say your mom is always talking about you both. They were very close and would do anything for her, as she would for them. She was always generous when they came to visit offering them something to take home, or she bought something for them.
Joanne was so proud of her two beautiful grandchildren, Vanessa Rae Evancic and Carter Ryan Evancic. She was there when they came home from the hospital and was happy to share her motherly wisdom to Carol as a new mom and is a part of their lives. She was very interested in what they wanted to do in their lives and told them to follow their passion. During their visits, she always had a word of advice and encouragement as grandparents do. She would usually offer them a little something to take home to show her love and appreciation.
She loved being outdoors and going to the beach and watching the waves roll in, the smell of the ocean air and the sand on her feet. She enjoyed her favourite music, especially Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Leonard Cohen, Andrea Bocelli to name a few. She also enjoyed watching musicals on TV, her favourite was West Side Story, biblical movies and live entertainment. She was thrilled to see Michael Flatley of Lord of the Dance perform his spectacular display of Irish Dancing. Her Favourite TV show –Big Bang Theory, she loved the character “Sheldon”. Carol and her mom also enjoyed watching mystery shows together; The Golden Girls and Carol Burnett Show as well as cooking shows. Ken and his mom would watch NCIS together, and he would call her every day on his way home from work to chat about their day, a call he will now forever miss.
As an animal lover she always had pets, at one point she had two dogs and four cats. She also loved feeding the birds and squirrels and would get up at 6am just to get their food ready. Her pets were very special and were her little family. She has left behind her last surviving cat to her son Ken who said he would take good care of her. Joanne even set up a website to help relocate animals with their owners called “4My Pets.”
An avid reader, loved learning about nutrition, gardening, animals, history and space, and about anything she would take the time to research. She loved her computer and looking things up, and sending emails to friends and family. If Carol needed to know something, all she had to do was ask her mom, and she would be right on it and send back the info. She will miss these emails not to mention the Jacquie Lawson cards throughout the year. Carol is also going to miss the many shopping trips to Art Knapps nursery for flowers, the seniors day at Shoppers and other shopping places they liked to go. Shopping will never be the same without you mom.
Her three favourite sayings:
"I want a new body” “I would like a bag of money” “I’m waiting for my ship to come in”
Joanne had a warm heart and a sense of humour, and always had a laugh and a smile even though she had medical issues. She didn’t let it get her down. Joanne was a Christian and studied in the privacy of her own home. In the last weeks of her life, she was asked what was her greatest accomplishment in her life and she said, “My kids.”
She was a fighter and didn’t want to leave and during her last few hours she spoke to her kids…“I want to tell you something, I want to say goodbye.” “I love you ALWAYS.”…And her very last words as she drifted away were, “No more pain,” with a nod. Carol and Ken replied to her, “No more pain mom” and soon she was gone peacefully. A bond between two kids and their mom so strong.
She left a plaque each for her kids for when she was gone which reads, “Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same; but as God calls us one by one the Chain will link again.”
“Mom, we hope they have good coffee and TV in heaven, you’re reunited with your pets and your mom and dad” ~ until we meet again…xo
Thank you to Affordable Cremation & Burial in Port Coquitlam, BC for your compassion. Joanne will be laid to rest at Port Coquitlam Cemetery during a family service in late Spring. Thank you to the staff at Ridge Meadows Hospital for your care on our mom’s final day with us.
Joanne is survived by her daughter; Carol Evancic (nee Bates) (spouse Dorlyn Evancic) grandchildren; Vanessa Evancic and Carter Evancic, son; Ken Bates (spouse Lynn Johnson) and brother; Richard Dunn (spouse Danielle Dunn). Her parents had pre-deceased her; William (Bill) Dunn (1977) and Isabelle Josephine Dunn (2010). She is also survived by her ex-husband and father of her two children; Jack Bates of Victoria, BC.
Joanne was born in Vancouver, BC but spent her younger years in Port Coquitlam, BC where she attended Viscount Elementary School, Mundy Road School in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam High School.
At the age of 10 years old, she was crowned May Queen in the 13th Annual May Queen Celebration in Coquitlam, BC on May 16, 1953. She was so delighted of this privilege she had written Queen Elizabeth II and Buckingham Place wrote back. An honour for a young girl who was proud to have been chosen. Closing remarks of her May Queen Speech read “It is my sincere wish that from the beginning of my reign the hearts of older folks will be gladdened by the Joy of the children who are my loyal subjects. Let every smile be brightened, let every heart be gay, for now our sports and dances, will grace this happy day.”
Joanne had won awards for gymnastics, in particular Tumbling, as well as for Writing in her teenage years. She spent her career as a topographical draftsperson but due to a car accident injury she retired in the 80’s.
Very humble person, didn’t need much, loved her TV, her pets, gardening and her daily routines and her family. Strongly willed, independent and would listen to what you had to say and offer her advice, but if she didn’t know something she would offer to look it up on Google for you. Her friends had similar interests and passions in life, and they all had nice things to say about her. Loved food, especially sweets and spent hours watching cooking shows, and always had her coffee in hand with her pets close by.
She was very proud of her two kids, Carol and Ken and would always share her sentiments with those around her. People would say your mom is always talking about you both. They were very close and would do anything for her, as she would for them. She was always generous when they came to visit offering them something to take home, or she bought something for them.
Joanne was so proud of her two beautiful grandchildren, Vanessa Rae Evancic and Carter Ryan Evancic. She was there when they came home from the hospital and was happy to share her motherly wisdom to Carol as a new mom and is a part of their lives. She was very interested in what they wanted to do in their lives and told them to follow their passion. During their visits, she always had a word of advice and encouragement as grandparents do. She would usually offer them a little something to take home to show her love and appreciation.
She loved being outdoors and going to the beach and watching the waves roll in, the smell of the ocean air and the sand on her feet. She enjoyed her favourite music, especially Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Leonard Cohen, Andrea Bocelli to name a few. She also enjoyed watching musicals on TV, her favourite was West Side Story, biblical movies and live entertainment. She was thrilled to see Michael Flatley of Lord of the Dance perform his spectacular display of Irish Dancing. Her Favourite TV show –Big Bang Theory, she loved the character “Sheldon”. Carol and her mom also enjoyed watching mystery shows together; The Golden Girls and Carol Burnett Show as well as cooking shows. Ken and his mom would watch NCIS together, and he would call her every day on his way home from work to chat about their day, a call he will now forever miss.
As an animal lover she always had pets, at one point she had two dogs and four cats. She also loved feeding the birds and squirrels and would get up at 6am just to get their food ready. Her pets were very special and were her little family. She has left behind her last surviving cat to her son Ken who said he would take good care of her. Joanne even set up a website to help relocate animals with their owners called “4My Pets.”
An avid reader, loved learning about nutrition, gardening, animals, history and space, and about anything she would take the time to research. She loved her computer and looking things up, and sending emails to friends and family. If Carol needed to know something, all she had to do was ask her mom, and she would be right on it and send back the info. She will miss these emails not to mention the Jacquie Lawson cards throughout the year. Carol is also going to miss the many shopping trips to Art Knapps nursery for flowers, the seniors day at Shoppers and other shopping places they liked to go. Shopping will never be the same without you mom.
Her three favourite sayings:
"I want a new body” “I would like a bag of money” “I’m waiting for my ship to come in”
Joanne had a warm heart and a sense of humour, and always had a laugh and a smile even though she had medical issues. She didn’t let it get her down. Joanne was a Christian and studied in the privacy of her own home. In the last weeks of her life, she was asked what was her greatest accomplishment in her life and she said, “My kids.”
She was a fighter and didn’t want to leave and during her last few hours she spoke to her kids…“I want to tell you something, I want to say goodbye.” “I love you ALWAYS.”…And her very last words as she drifted away were, “No more pain,” with a nod. Carol and Ken replied to her, “No more pain mom” and soon she was gone peacefully. A bond between two kids and their mom so strong.
She left a plaque each for her kids for when she was gone which reads, “Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same; but as God calls us one by one the Chain will link again.”
Thank you to Affordable Cremation & Burial in Port Coquitlam, BC for your compassion. Joanne will be laid to rest at Port Coquitlam Cemetery during a family service in late Spring. Thank you to the staff at Ridge Meadows Hospital for your care on our mom’s final day with us.