Mary Joan O’Riordan
March 4, 1955-August 5, 2026
Joan passed away peacefully at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton on August 5, 2026, after a brief illness.
Joan was born in Camrose, Alberta on March 4, 1955 to Maxine Isabel O’Riordan and Thomas Gerald O’Riordan. When Joan was a toddler, Maxine moved to Edmonton with the girls, Joan and her sisters, Betty Jean and Diane. Joan was fortunate to have been cared for by her Auntie Bert (Bertha Luna), while her Mom attended university and later worked as a teacher. Joan attended Spruce Avenue School until after the fourth grade when the family moved to Red Deer. Joan completed her schooling in Red Deer at George Wilbert Smith Elementary, Eastview Junior High and Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School. After graduation, Joan completed the Volunteer Management Program at Grant McEwan College in Edmonton.
Joan worked as a secretary at Travel Alberta and at Ward Air and as a volunteer coordinator for the Charles Camsell Hospital. She volunteered extensively with various groups, including the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, First Night Festival and the Edmonton Epilepsy Association.
Joan had a life-long love of music, playing popular piano tunes as a girl, joining in on campfire songs at Camp Maskepetoon, building an extensive collection of classic rock, sitting on the steep hill for the Edmonton Folk Festival, and devoting many hours listening to CKUA radio. She loved to dance, learning to polka in the living room with her Mom, Nan and sisters.
Joan was a skilled craftsperson, creating beautiful knitted and crocheted baby blankets, sweaters and afghans. She made needlepoint pictures and fine lace wall hangings, often giving them as gifts to family and friends.
Joan enjoyed being a cat mother, spending time in her garden and was especially proud of her heritage raspberry patch. Always an avid reader, she was happiest at home with a good book, with a cup of coffee and a cigarette nearby.
Joan had fond memories of her trips to Sri Lanka, Sweden, Ireland, Costa Rica and particularly England, where she attended the Queen’s Garden Party in a borrowed hat and gloves. She travelled to most of the provinces of Canada. A favourite photo shows Joan on a cruise ship in the Caribbean with her characteristic laugh pose.
Joan had a happy childhood, including much playtime with sisters, cousins and friends. There were garden raids and big boisterous meals in Fort Saskatchewan with Uncle Roy’s family. There were adventures at Al Oeming Game Farm, Storyland Valley Zoo, picnics at Emily Murphy Park, children’s plays and concerts at Victoria Composite School. Many weekends were spent at Nanny’s house in Amisk where she played post office inspired by the real post office located in the house, read Harlequin romances chosen from the stacks kept on the stairs, collected pails of water from the village pump house and walked the sandy road to the cemetery. And ate those heritage raspberries right from the bush, the same bushes that became the basis of her raspberry patch many years later.
Joan so appreciated the support and love of her mother, Maxine. The two spent a great deal of time together and Joan enjoyed the company of Mom’s longtime friend, Fred Schutz.
Joan is survived by her long-time companion and devoted care-giver, Cameron Reid. Their relationship began at a baseball game and Cam enjoyed one last Blue Jays game while holding Joanie’s hand in the hospital. She will be greatly missed by her sisters, Betty Jean O’Riordan (Culley) and Diane Watson (nee O’Riordan), and nieces and nephews Sarah and Brian Culley and Brett and Stephanie Watson.
The family and Cam would like to express our gratitude for the compassionate care she received from the nurses and Dr. Letourneux at the Misericordia Hospital.
Joan’s headstone will be beside her mother’s in the family plot at Bethany Cemetery in Amisk, Alberta. In lieu of a service or flowers, we will be remembering Joan by sponsoring an hour of CKUA programming in her honour. Please join us in commemorating the life of Joan by listening to CKUA on Monday, September 21, 2026 from 2-3p.m. The host of “Thoroughfare” is Tony King who was a favourite of Joan’s. The show will also be available online for one week after the initial airing at https://ondemand.ckua.com