Obituary of Dorothy Joan Hambly

Surrounded by the love of her daughters, Joan Hambly (nee Thompson) passed away on July 23, 2015, at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, two months before her 90th birthday. Joan was born in Haileybury, Ontario, and spent most of her early years there. When she was in her teens, she worked as a telegram messenger. She then worked at the ONR as a telegrapher and telegraph office manager. It was during these years that her vocabulary became decidedly colourful. Joan always said she’d had a good life. She was a world traveller – on one trip, she and Bob flew around the world in 33 days. One of the last trips she took was a cruise through the Panama Canal. She wanted to see firsthand the engineering feat her father had worked on a century earlier. Joan was also an avid bridge player, voracious reader, and enthusiastic line dancer and instructor. She had a lifelong interest in figure skating and was the founder and first instructor of the Cochrane Figure Skating Club. Joan’s passion, however, was sailing, and she and Bob were long-time members of the North Bay Yacht Club. Together, they were founding members of the now-defunct FRUCKS. Joan also served on the executive of the NBYC. In later years, Joan was made an honorary member of the Northern Ontario Martini Club – even though she drank peach schnapps. Joan was forthright, outspoken, and honest. She also had a wonderful sense of humour. As our mom, she was kind, generous, tolerant, understanding, and forgiving. It would be an understatement to say she was a “very cool” Mom. Joan was predeceased by her husband, Robert (Bob). She is survived and dearly missed by her daughters: Gail, Leigh (Jamie), and Jo Anne (late Harv); grandchildren: Jill (Mark) and Andy (Emily); great-grandsons: Zack and Joe; and grand-dogs: Nigel, Jackson, and the late Watson. Joan is also survived by her sisters: Yvonne (late Dick) and Pat (Gord); six nieces and nephews; and dear friend, Pat Davis (late Ben). In 2007, Joan suffered an aortic dissection. Thank you to Dr. Robert Anderson who saved her life and gave us an extra eight years with Mom. Thanks, too, to Dr. Julie Bowen who allowed us to hope that Mom might enjoy one last summer, and to CCAC for the homecare provided. Joan requested there be no service or visitation. A celebration of her life is planned for the fall. If you would like to make a donation in Joan’s name, please consider the Canadian Wildlife Federation or an organization that supports Canadian war veterans and their families. Sail on, Mommy. You are in our hearts forever.