Joan Kane

Mrs. Joan Elsie Kane (nee Rayner) "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" by Dr. Seuss
Born in England, Joan died in Toronto on September 2, 2021 in her 94th year. Children Sheila, Katherine and Tim were at her side. Predeceased by husband Wilfred and son Michael, Joan is lovingly remembered by family and friends for her spirit, generosity and grit.

Joan Kane was born in England in 1927 and grew up in the time of the ‘greatest generation’. And fittingly, she embraced that can-do spirit unabashedly.

She joined Britain’s ATS (Auxiliary Technical Service) to serve her country in WWII. At the time of enlistment she was asked about how she wanted to serve – cooking, sewing or driving. As she didn’t know how to drive she chose driving - motorcycles and then trucks - which fostered her love for driving and independence. During the war years she met our father, Wilfred, fell in love, got married and ultimately moved to Canada.

Four children soon followed and theirs was a busy household. Out of necessity and a curious mind, our mother could sew draperies and most of our clothes, build a fence, paint a shed, change a tire, upholster furniture, garden and complete household repairs all to an exacting standard. It seemed her energy was endless. She taught herself to play the piano and later the accordion. Her love for sewing and an exacting eye took her to couturier-led sewing classes where she excelled. Her appreciation for learning inspired her to enroll in adult learning classes at York University. In her retirement years, she took up quilting in a very committed way. Her works were all hand quilted and her children and friends were gifted with what has been described as heirloom-quality pieces.

Our mother worked outside the household too. She started off in retail and then took courses to upgrade her skills. Over time, she became a medical secretary working for the head of neurosurgery at Toronto General Hospital. She loved this job and excelled at it.

While our mother was a sometimes shy person she was also sometimes a surprisingly outspoken person. While we were travelling to England together, a young mother with a toddler and a newborn boarded the plane. A mighty handful indeed. The baby cried loudly and the mother felt it necessary to apologize to the other travelers for the noise. My mother then stood up and loudly announced that it was a sorry comment on society when a mother had to apologize for a crying baby. Yes! Joan! You go!

Having led a busy, productive life our mother died this week leaving a legacy of generosity, self-sufficiency and grit. Her children - Sheila, Katherine and Tim were by her side. We are grateful for the extraordinary care Joan received at Baycrest Hospital.