March 1, 1940 - March 9, 2023
In loving memory ~
With great sadness the family of Joy Hurst announce her passing at the age of 83 on March 9, 2023 at the Shuswap Lake General Hospital.
Joy was greatly loved by her family and passed away peacefully holding the hand of her beloved husband of 57 years, Don Hurst. She leaves behind Don, her two children Howard (Esther) and Laura (Marcus) and grandsons Sebastian (18), Austin (14) and Jackson (13), and her sister Tid. She is predeceased by her parents Vincent and Joan and her sister Pikey.
Born in the south of England in 1940, Joy's compassionate nature drove her toward caring for others, initially as an au pair traveling to far away destinations like Sri Lanka and later as a registered nurse. When one of her sisters decided to move to Canada with her husband in pursuit of new opportunities, Joy took a life-changing decision to join them in Vancouver. Shortly after arrival in Canada she was swept away by a handsome man who introduced her to the world of horses and farming. After a brief engagement they were married and ultimately purchased an idyllic plot of land near Salmon Arm where they settled down to raise a family.
Joy embraced her love of horses on the farm, particularly her favorite, Peppy, who was her companion for 32 years. She could also be found tending to her expansive garden, which produced a bountiful harvest year after year, and provided the essential ingredients for her wide-ranging repertoire of jams. Joy was also a natural athlete, participating in a wide range of sports, including softball (she competed in the BC Seniors Games), golf, pickleball, and curling. She was also a voracious reader (often reading a book a day) and was a talented painter of beautiful landscapes and nature.
After her retirement, Joy enjoyed spending time with Don. They would golf together regularly in the summer. They also made several trips together. They had several cross-country trips to visit Laura in Eastern Canada, traveled to Taiwan and Seattle to see Howard, and many trips to England to visit her family. She continued to play golf through summer 2022 and completed her last garden harvest that fall.
The family would like to thank the support and compassion of Dr. Weicker, Dr. Main and the wonderful staff at the Shuswap Lake General Hospital.
A celebration of life will be planned later in the spring. If friend desire, donations in Joy's memory can be made to the Shuswap Hospital Foundation or the Shuswap Paws Rescue Society.