Obituary of Joan Marie Hill

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Surrounded in love, Joan Marie (Stockton) Hill completed her journey among us, just shy of her 85th birthday, at the Village at University Gates, Waterloo, in the wee hours of Monday August 24, 2026.

Predeceased by her parents, Stewart and Jean Stockton, she grew up in Harriston, Ontario with her brother Allan (Sherry) and many beloved aunts and uncles, and dozens of cousins, many of whom were lifelong friends. During long intervals when her mother was ill, she spent time with her grandparents on their farms where she loved the horses, cats, dogs and farming life. Most of her relatives were farmers, so her family home “in town” was the hub for gathering. There was always a neighbour, relative or friend stopping in for a cup of tea and pie, to get their hair cut, their farm tools sharpened, or just to visit. Here she developed a tremendous sense of community, which was a hallmark of her life. It was also where Joan learned her love of gardening and many of the creative skills that she developed throughout her life.

Joan excelled in school and dreamed of higher education. However, like many young women of her generation, social barriers and affordability posed a significant challenge. Consequently, she was recruited by Dominion Insurance to work in their offices and she moved to Waterloo at age 16, rooming above Angie’s Kitchen on Erb Street. She made other friends there with whom she stayed connected for many, many years. Returning home most weekends, she fell in love with a local farm boy. Joan and Ross (d.2008) married in 1960 and moved to Kitchener, planning ahead so their children would have close proximity to the higher education that neither of them had the privilege to experience. Ross had five brothers, and Joan was delighted to acquire more family, especially sisters-in-law, having always wanted a sister.

With the birth of Pam, Joan became a mother at age 19. Having done such an excellent job, they decided to have more children, and Brad and Julie came along soon thereafter (They were also excellent).

Joan’s skill for making clothing for her family was legendary. She was once asked to not send her kids to school in so many lovely new outfits, because it was making the other children feel bad. Joan was an exceptional baker and the house on Braun Street was a little like the home of her parents: people dropping in for visits, tea and baking. It was also the backyard of choice for all the neighbourhood kids! Before Tim Horton’s was ubiquitous, there could often be seen three yellow trucks parked briefly outside for coffee breaks. Ross was a truck driver for CN Weber, her brother drove for Home Hardware, and a favourite neighbour drove for Tender Fresh Poultry.

That neighbourhood embraced the young Hill family in their rented house, and the women in particular became maternal mentors, sharing knowledge, quilting bees, garden produce, recipes and friendship. This was a role Joan would play for many others throughout her life. She and Ross grew vegetables, raspberries and roses with great care and success, producing and preserving food that fed them all year round.

The desire to own a home and save for their kids’ educations propelled Joan to take a factory job at Electrohome. She was good with her hands and a quick learner, and soon became the “Set Up and Instruct” for the assembly of printed circuit boards. She was a natural teacher and enjoyed meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures, often taking them under her wing and building lasting friendships. She was proud of the work she did and the products of the company, and she introduced diversity to her family through friendships.

Following a life-changing motor vehicle accident, Joan’s right arm was unable to perform the motions of her job. Ultimately, she returned to complete her high school diploma at KCI, crossing the same graduation stage her three children had crossed some years previously; a proud achievement! Prepared for modern office work, including computer skills, she sought out employment – a challenge at midlife.

When Ross encountered illness that left him unable to continue to work, Joan’s life pivoted to caregiving. Joan provided care in their home until Ross’ needs surpassed her ability to support him well enough. She became relentlessly devoted to supporting him and advocating for his care, especially after he lost his ability to communicate verbally. Even through these very hard years, Joan made new friends with spouses of people in the same long-term care facilities. Together they worked for changes to the quality of care in the system. She was also deeply committed to caring for her parents who lived well into their 90s, conversing with her mother nearly every day by phone and visiting weekly.

Throughout this time, gardening, quilting, sewing and baking remained her superpowers and life-sustaining activities. Joan chose activities that required skill, ongoing learning, patient attention and physical labour. The multi-seasonal care of several varieties of raspberries resulted in abundant harvests and the subsequent delights of her pies, famous tarts, jams and a full freezer each year. The pruning, fertilizing, watering, debugging, winterizing and overall cultivation of roses in well-weeded beds brought beauty, fragrance and satisfaction, along with the joy of sharing bouquets with friends and neighbours. She read recipe books and magazines for pleasure and derived even more enjoyment from trying new recipes. Joan researched and carefully planned her quilt designs, drawing from fabric remainders that tell the tales of many clothing items she created. Joan had an excellent eye for putting colours together, and she was meticulously careful to use tiny, neat stitches and to align the “pickety edges” of the quilts. Her masterpieces will last for generations.

Throughout the years, Joan experienced the amazing community of her Midtown neighbourhood on DeKay Street. As most of the original and subsequent neighbour families matured or moved away and beloved friends passed on, Joan became the elder of the street.

She kept an eye on things and spoke with neighbours when she went out for walks, admiring their gardens, children and pets. She took delight in reviving her sewing skills for some neighbourhood children, as well as her own grandchildren. She was a trusted source for gardening advice, and she was the depended-upon dessert provider for neighbourhood potlucks. Having a secret recipe for raspberry tarts, she could not fail to bring them each summer! Joan loved the street parties and Soupstock events. She could bend the ears of her neighbours but was also a good listener. Joan could “speak her mind” bluntly, was profoundly honest, and ultimately kind. She loved to take her neighbours Christmas gifts of homemade fudge or jars of jam. In the spring, she was excited to offer her tenderly-nurtured tomato seedlings of many varieties to whomever had room in their garden.

When Joan started to face her own physical health issues, her neighbor friends returned the care. She cherished them: Kelly and Donnie, Sarah, Trevor and kids, Kate and Harold, Lisa and Steve, Rebekah and Ahmie, Greg, Julie and Rob – and many more.

From an early age, Joan had a special affection for cats, and she loved having a long line of them in her family. Shorty was a stray who came into her life like he had a purpose to befriend and companion her, when Ross was ill and remaining at home. After Shorty passed, to Joan’s delight, she received the gift of a kitten from her neighbour in 2019. Princess became her feline soulmate, remaining with Joan to the very last moment.

Joan’s deepest hope was “to die with her boots on” – gardening boots, of course. She never wanted to leave Dekay Street, but fate prevailed. Her interest in people, ease of conversation and willingness to make friends helped soothe the disappointment of moving into Westhill Retirement Community and later Assisted Care at University Gates. Joan made a new best friend, Veronica, who became chosen family. She even got to connect with Veronica’s relatives in the Philippines over Facetime and phone calls. Wheelchair rides to the beautiful gardens, hours by the fishpond, music and ice cream brought happiness even during very hard times. Joan also enjoyed the loving and youthful companionship of Hannah, and together they brought much fun to Bingo, Trivia and other group activities.

Joan had planned to live a longer, healthy life like so many of her elders. She felt cheated by Parkinson’s Disease and the consequential complications that limited her abilities and ended her life, much too soon for her liking.

Joan was a proud Mama Bear when it came to her children, whom she loved so dearly; Pam Hill (Sylvia Brightwell, d. 2025) of London, Brad Hill (Stephanie Ledger) of Waterloo, and Julie Hill (Dave Rader) of Thedford. She was blessed with beautiful grandchildren Russ (Sarah Harris-Lowe), Lee and Mali, and great grandchildren Addie, Jolene and Wren.

Joan cherished her brother Allan and sister-in-law Sherry. She had many fond memories of times spent with brothers and sisters-in-law Tom (d) and Marie (d) and Shirley (d) Hill, Morley(d) and Bev Hill, Vern and Sue(d) Hill, Barry(d) and Linda(d) Hill and Brian and Debbie(d) Hill. Joan is also remembered by their children and even a few of their grandchildren. Cousin Ethel Hill was a special friend, and Joan had many treasured cousins and extended family members.

The Celebration of Life for Joan will be held at Erb and Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street South, Waterloo, on Sunday August 30 at 11:00am, reception to follow. There will also be Visitation the evening before, Saturday August 29 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Interment at Parkview Cemetery at a later date.

You may honour Joan’s life by being a friend and strengthening your community.

If you wish to make a donation in memory of Joan, please consider Operation Smile, Waterloo Region Health Network (WRHN), The Parkinson’s Society or a charity of your choice and may be arranged  through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home at 519-745-8445 or www.erbgood.com