JOANNE MARIE INGLIS

Joanne Inglis was born May 23, 1954 and died on September 18, 2024 at the Simkin Centre after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was the first of four children born to Lawson and Barbara Inglis. At the time she was born the Inglis family lived in a modest house in Fort Garry. Her mother's father was a bank clerk and her mother a teacher. Her grandfather Robert was a master tailor from Montreal who became prosperous and lived on Elm Street. Joanne’s father Lawson, whom Joanne adored, began work helping his father but soon went into business for himself. As these years were golden, economically, and Lawson was extremely capable and entrepreneurial, he was quite successful and the family moved into a big house on South Drive. 

Joanne was raised in comfort and helped her mother raise her three brothers. She went to primary school and then Vincent Massey High School. The family was Catholic and Joanne was catechized but as she recounted, she soon abandoned her religious faith. Religion played little role although holidays were big family occasions. Joanne loved family gatherings and especially Christmas time. She was very devoted to her family.

As it happened, Joanne was beautiful and had many boyfriends and suitors. But what was outstanding about her was her amazing personality. She was incredibly open and friendly, generous and upbeat, with a sunny disposition. Matched with her physical beauty and confidence she was in life a powerful combination of classic womanly power.

Joanne graduated from the liberal arts programme at the University of Manitoba majoring in philosophy and then obtained a masters of science in speech pathology at the Utah State University. She instantly took to feminism and would not, for example, think of changing her name when she married.

She loved her profession as a speech therapist at St. Boniface Hospital and later on in the Winnipeg public schools. She especially enjoyed helping children with their speech and was very helpful and supportive of them in the way she worked.

Joanne was extremely well-liked and had many friends. People were attracted to her and she was a loyal and understanding friend. She was anxious to have children of which she had two. She was joyful and happy during her pregnancies and deliberately took care of herself so that her babies would be as healthy as possible. She proved to be a wonderful parent, unbelievably patient and loving. Her marriage to Henry Heller, a professor of history at the University of Manitoba, was a complete love match. 

Then Joanne got sick and things unravelled the way they do. A Celebration of her Life will be held at 2:00pm on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 603 Wellington Crescent (First Unitarian Universalist Church). 

Joanne’s family kindly requests that all of her friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour her memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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