Tribute

On Saturday, January 24, the world lost a rare and wonderful flower when Stella Joy passed away peacefully at Evergreen Extended Care Unit. She had just celebrated her 98th birthday.

Typical of her, she never lost her courage or spirit throughout a very tough last year, always minimizing her own suffering.

}She was politically very astute, a gifted actor—she and her husband, Ted, were mainstays of “The Lakeshore Players,” for three decades in Montreal—an incredible intellect, as well as a natural mathematician, historian and raconteur. Her candour was a thing of legend: when recently admitted to hospital, weak and debilitated from pneumonia, she was asked in the emergency department if she had any allergies. “Yes! Stephen Harper and his bloody Conservatives!” she blazed. The world will never again see the like.

Stella is dearly missed and mourned by her husband John Edwin (Ted) Hocking, daughters Nadja Hocking (Dan Bouman) and Isabel Otter (Neil Boyd), sons David Hocking (Heather Prittie) and Rob Hocking, nine grandchildren Tim Miles, Layla Brack, Morgan Hocking, Simon Hocking, Carla Berkun, Rob Hocking, Madeline Hocking, Elise Hocking, and Chris Otter, along with five great-grandchildren.

Many thanks to Georgie, Gail, Gianna, the rest of the staff at Evergreen, and Dr. Chao, for their kind attention and excellent care.