Obituary of Joanne Harder

Joanne Frances Eileen Harder (Schan) passed away on the evening of February 9, 2014. She is loved and remembered by her husband, Donald Harder and her two daughters Wendy (Bruce) Seffern and Margaret Harder and her beloved grandchildren Gibson, Zaira and Sawyer Seffern. She is predeceased by her son, Blaine Harder. Joanne was born in Dodsland, Saskatchewan on November 15, 1948 to John and Hazel Schan (Mackrell). She grew up in a big, bustling family with 8 brothers and sisters. There were always stories about life on the pasture and the fun they had together, and the trouble they would get into. Mom loved sports all of her life, whether she was playing or coaching ball or curling in a bonspiel. She played many sports and was a spectator of any sport imaginable. In her last years, her favorite hockey teams were the Sedgewick Sharks, which her grandson played on, and any team that a Jamieson child from Major played on. You could always count on Mom to be the loudest cheerleader in the bleachers. Children were so very important in Mom's life. She was a teacher and substitute teacher for many years and those days in the classroom were memories she often spoke of. She wanted to be in the school getting to know the children of the children she had taught. She was always filled with stories about what went on with the kids on the days she was there. Mom also babysat numerous children in Major and she loved each and every one of those children as if they were her own. Never did a day go by that she didn't wonder what one or another of those kids was doing and she followed their new adventures as if the adventure was hers. Mom loved to work in her vegetable garden and cut her grass. She wanted to be outside, no matter the weather. Her famous garden supplied many a fowl supper with potatoes and many a neighborhood child with apples and peas straight off the plant. She came to Lougheed and helped her grandchildren in their garden and those moments will be cherished by them. The greatest joy of Mom's life in the last 10 years has been watching her grandchildren grow and helping to raise them. She came whenever needed and stayed as long as she could so that she could spend every moment possible in their lives. She will be so sadly missed by them, but they will have so many memories of her because they were lucky enough to spend so much time with her. The greatest love Mom had was for people. She always genuinely wanted to know what was going on in the lives of her friends, family and neighbors and she was always everyone's biggest fan and supporter. Mom was a true friend and a woman filled with love and was beloved by all who met her. A private family interment will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to Killam Health Centre-Palliative Care and Acute Care.