Barbara Joan Pearman

April 21, 2023
Remembering the Life ~
Joan Pearman passed away at Vernon Hospice House in the early morning hours of April 21st, 2023, with family members by her side.
Joan was the loving mother of Elizabeth (James) and Graeme (Anna), and a much-loved grandmother to Carys, Donovan, Lennox, and Marley. She was the beloved younger sister to Carolyn (Mike) and older sister to Ross (Karen), an adored aunt to Karen, Lindsay and Alexis, and a great-aunt to Esme, Delphine, Eloise, and Xavier. She is predeceased by her parents, Robert (Bob) and Barbara Pearman.
Joan was born in Montreal, Quebec and attended Montreal West High School, where she was always known for her outgoing nature and quick wit. After high school, she met and fell in love with Donald Brown. They both attended Concordia University and after they were married, they moved to Orillia, Ontario, for career opportunities and to start a family. Joan became an avid squash player and made many friends at the squash club. Her greatest joy was in becoming a mother to Elizabeth and Graeme.
Joan and her family later moved to Manotick, a suburb outside of Ottawa, and she soon went back to school to become a registered nurse. She spent most of her career working at the Royal Ottawa Hospital as a psychiatric nurse to provide mental health care to her patients.
After she retired, Joan relocated near Peterborough for a few years before moving to Vernon, British Columbia in 2014 to be closer to her children and grandchildren. She took care of her grandson Donovan for the second year of his life, and this brought them both incredible happiness. She spent the remaining 9 years of her life in Vernon, where she made amazing friends through the Bridge Club and various book clubs. These friendships were so important to Joan, filling her last years with laughter, companionship, and travel adventures.
She was a devoted daughter, mother, sister, and friend. She loved animals, especially dogs, and often thought fondly back to the ones she lost, her golden retriever Murphy and rescued dogs Kelly, Dee, and Toby. She was a bridge enthusiast, loved binging on her favourite cable shows, and enjoyed walking her granddog Fillmore at the dog park. She had a sense of humour like no other and was laughing (in her signature style of sarcasm and sharp quips) with her friends and family right up to the end. More than anything else, though, she was incredibly strong and persevered through her illness with bravery and determination as few others could.
The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, her family doctor (Dr. Mori), and the staff at Vernon Hospice House for their excellent, professional, and compassionate care.
A celebration of life for family and friends will be held on June 14th at her daughter's home in Coldstream. In lieu of flowers, those who wish can make donations in her memory to the Vernon Hospice House, BC Cancer Foundation, or the Vernon SPCA.