In Mt Tolmie Hospital, September 2, 2008, after a lengthy period following a stroke. Joan was born in Nanaimo in 1937, attending school in Smithers, Kamloops, Clinton, Port Alberni and Victoria. Following high school graduation, Joan joined the RCAF in physical training as a recreational specialist, a skill she took as recreation officer to Essondale; later she began a career with Corrections Canada at Oakalla before moving to Kingston, then became the first woman Classification Officer at the BC Penitentiary in New Westminster. In 1968 she married Kyle Stevenson, a BC parole officer who was later appointed to the National Parole Board. They lived on Gabriola Island. Following Kyle’s death, Joan designed and built her own home and studio on Gabriola. Highly artistic and starting with framed felt animals, Joan went on to create magnificent wildlife animals in synthetic fur, sculpting heads and bodies that are utterly realistic. She became noted for her work through support by the Growlies of Scotland and from client stores and customers in several countries. Joan sculpted a range of animals from raccoons, bear cubs, otters and penguins to her finest, a four-foot white tiger. Examples of her fine work can be found in her book of photographs, The Wildlife Sculptures of Joan Stevenson (Trafford, 2004, listed on www.trafford.com). Joan is survived by her mother Stella Jenkins (nee Cuming), an early graduate of St. Margarets, brothers David, Henry, Robert, John and Richard McCandless and Mark Smith, and by nieces and nephews Anne, Ian, Kevin, Catherine and Lawrence McCandless, and cousins Cynthia Bagshaw and Monty Furber. The family wishes to thank the dedicated staff of Mt. Tolmie for their wonderful caring of Joan, especially in her last days.
A celebration of Joan’s life and accomplishments will be held in McCall’s Family Chapel, Johnson & Vancouver Streets at 11:00 am Saturday September 6, 2008.
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