Joan Therese Curtis, 96, of Dundas, Ontario passed away February 27, 2025, after a brief illness.
Joan was the youngest of four girls born to James Louis and Marie Grightmire at their home in Dundas, Ontario.
She married Wilfred (Wilf) Anthony Curtis on September 11, 1954, and they had four children, Peter (Bernadette), Paul (Monica), Mary (John) and Julia (Don).
She was a generous mother, grandmother and great grandmother, hosting delicious family celebrations throughout her life.
For a number of years, she owned and operated The Red Carpet Gift shop in Dundas. She also volunteered at the Dundas Museum and Archives and Dundas Community Services delivering Meals on Wheels.
Incredibly talented, she dabbled in portrait, landscape, and furniture painting, and created beautiful one of a kind Santas for Church donations and for her family.
Predeceased by her devoted husband Wilf in 2015, and her loving sisters Rita Quinn, Helen Warnick, and Louise Dubois, Joan is survived by her four children and their families including eleven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Friday March 7, 2025, at 10 a.m. at St. Augustine’s Church, Dundas.
Interment will follow at St. Augustine’s Cemetery, 54 East Street South, Dundas
A reception will follow at St. Augustine’s Parish Hall.
McRAE, David Allan: Quietly and suddenly Dave was called home on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025 in his 82nd year. Beloved husband for 23 years to Donna, dear father to 5, Paul Christianson (Sandra), Peter Christianson (Jennifer), Jon, Shayne, Whitney Alexander (Tracy), 11 grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Dear brother to Betty (Baker), Doris Atkinson (Peter) and Karen Hurst. Predeceased by sisters Linda and Marion and brother in law Bob. Dave enjoyed ten pin bowling, was quite involved in baseball as an umpire and working on his garden railroad. He was a life time member of Kinsmen and the Hamilton Baseball Umpires Association.
An informal Celebration of Life will be held for family and friends at the Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St, Dundas on Saturday, March 8th, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers please feel free to make a donation to a charity of your choice.
Passed away peacefully on February 20th in his 88th year. Bob was born in Hamilton to parents Elsie (Deacon) Bailey and John (Ace) Bailey. Loving husband of Patricia (nee McGillivray) for 30 years and devoted stepfather to her three children. Predeceased by Mike (Joyce), Karen (Steve) and Kathy. Cherished “Papa” of Jessica (Matt), Katelyn (Garrett), Jordan, Jack, Emma and Paul. Dearly loved by great-grandchildren Avery and Jacob. Previously married to Marilynne sharing four children together. Father of Christa (predeceased by Walter), Bob Jr. (Kim), Leslie (John) and Karyn (Grant). Cherished “Pupup” of Richard (Jackie) and Tera. Mackenzie (Bobby), and Hayden. Aaron (Meagan) and Bryson (Brent). Desmond and Hazel. Loved by great-grandchildren Isabella, Abbigail, Lilyhanna and Richard Jr. Autumn, Dallas and Dakota. Isla, Maisy and Ellie. Zane, Hudson and Maverick. Bob is predeceased by his brother Jack (Helen) and lovingly remembered by his brother Barry (predeceased by Judy). He will also be sadly missed by many nieces, great-nieces, nephews and great-nephews. Bob started his career as a volunteer firefighter in Stoney Creek, ending his career of 34 years as a firefighter at Dofasco. He was President of the Dofasco Angling Club for many years and an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. Bob was a long time coach of baseball and hockey and a life long Habs fan! Everyone that knew Bob loved his kindness, sense of humour and practical jokes! If you ever had a meal with Bob, it was guaranteed you would find a piece of paper in your sandwich! The family would like to thank Margaret’s Place Hospice for their care and compassion and for the love they had for Bob throughout his journey. A special thank-you also to Bob’s family physician Dr. Julie Emili of more than 20 years for going above and beyond with the care she provided to him. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Hamilton Air Force Club, 128 King Street East, Dundas on Saturday, March 8th from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Donations to Margaret’s Place Hospice would be appreciated.
Our cherished husband, father, brother, son and friend passed suddenly from this world on February 21, 2025, following a brief illness. Mark was born July 6, 1977 to his wonderful parents Nina and Andrzej Lugowski. He spent his childhood in Toronto and later attended university in Halifax. Mark went on to complete his MBA and had a 20 year career in the retirement home industry, where he developed his amazing leadership skills and served as an inspiration to his many close colleagues. Mark spent his last year travelling with his family and enjoying his favourite pastimes: golfing, boating, and fishing. Mark leaves behind his parents, his adoring wife Anna, his beloved sons Andrew and Adam, his devoted sister Andrea and her husband Marc, and his many in-laws, cousins, uncles, aunts and extended family both in Canada and Europe. We are grateful for his love, his wisdom, his guidance, his clarity and his incredible goodness. He will live forever in our hearts. A celebration of life will be held in the near future.
Ken Hall passed away peacefully at home in Dundas, at the age of 95. Ken was an amazing person, who believed in the power of family, friends and community. He was known to many as a life-long educator, a coach, an environmentalist and a community leader. He leaves an indelible mark on all who knew him.
Ken fought for his education throughout his life – from the time he was delayed being admitted to kindergarten because of his birthdate, to showing up at Delta Collegiate even though he had been registered elsewhere, to working at the CNR yards on night shift while attending classes at McMaster. At Delta in the late 1940s Ken was a star basketball player, known as Spider Hall. He forged friendships there that lasted a lifetime. He attended McMaster University and achieved two degrees – one in Geography and one in Physical Education. He went on to put his formal education to use as he coached championship teams and became a leader in Hamilton’s environmental conservation movement.
Ken spent his career as a teacher, vice principal, and principal, shaping generations of students with his mentorship. As a coach, he believed in developing not just better athletes, but better citizens, emphasizing teamwork and character building. So many benefitted from his generosity of spirit throughout his career with the Hamilton Board of Education.
In retirement, Ken was a champion for the environment, playing a pivotal role in the cleanup of Hamilton Harbour, the protection of the Niagara Escarpment, and the co-founding of both the Bay Area Restoration Council and the Giant’s Rib Discovery Centre. His dedication to conservation helped preserve these vital natural spaces for future generations, earning him recognition as Hamilton’s Environmentalist of the Year in 1996.
His contributions to education, athletics, and environmental advocacy earned him numerous honors. The awards that meant most to him came from those he worked alongside, including the Hamilton Citizenship Award and the McMaster University Alumni Distinguished Service Award. He was also recognized nationally with the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers—one of Canada’s highest honors bestowed by the Governor General, and in Ontario for his volunteerism in environmental projects with the Seniors Medal for Volunteerism and the Good Citizen Award. A dedicated Rotarian, Ken was also a five-time Paul Harris Fellow, an extraordinary achievement recognizing his lifelong commitment to service both locally and internationally. In 2018 McMaster University presented him with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his invaluable leadership with the McMaster Alumni Association as well as his dedication to environmental issues in the city of Hamilton. Most recently, Ken received a Senior Volunteer Award for Innovation from the City of Hamilton.
To Ken, friendships were his greatest asset, and he expressed sincere gratitude to those who enriched his life with their camaraderie and support. He mentored not only students but also peers, always encouraging those around him to get involved in the causes he was passionate about.
Family was Ken’s greatest joy. Married to his beloved wife, Joan, for 70 years, Ken was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He never missed his children’s or his grandchildren’s events—whether as a coach, a spectator, or their biggest cheerleader.
Ken was predeceased by his wife Joan (nee Tennant), who passed away in 2024. He is survived by his loving son Cameron (Julia), adoring daughter Cheryl, and his loving grandchildren: Leda (Katherine), Paul (Annie), Chloe (Alex), and Alexa (Alex). He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues and former students, and the countless lives he touched.
A living celebration of life was held on February 15th for Ken to enjoy the company of friends and family.
Wilson, Lorraine (nee Duckworth) It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Lorraine Wilson at Margaret’s Place Hospice on Thursday, February 6, 2025. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, George Wilson, who passed away on July 14, 2003. Lorraine will be lovingly remembered by her children: Patricia (John) Brown of Pike Bay, Cathy (Tom) Williams of Dundas, Jo-Ann Thrasher of Dundas, and Karen (Mark) Furneaux of Hamilton. She was a proud grandmother to Julie (Cheryl), Teresa, Bobbi-Lea (Garth), Johnnie (Ashley), Tom, Scott, Frances (Eric), Daniel (Kayla), Katrina (Harvey), and Hanna (Adrian). Lorraine’s cherished great-grandchildren include William, Devin, Tyler, Liam, Landon, Thomas, Patrick, James, Susanna, Cassidy, and Sawyer. She is also survived by her extended family: Ivan, Nancy, Sherri (Steve), and Steven (Kayla), along with their children Emily and Alexander. Lorraine was the dear sister of Ida Gee and was predeceased by her sisters Frances, Joyce, Audrey, Marjorie, Muriel, Rosemarie, and Patricia. Friends are invited to join the family for visitation on Friday, February 14, from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM at the Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas. A service to celebrate Lorraine’s life will be held on Saturday at 10:00 AM. Interment will take place at White Chapel Memorial Gardens. The family would like to extend special thanks to the compassionate staff at Margaret’s Place Hospice, St. Joseph’s Villa. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lorraine’s memory may be made to Margaret’s Place Hospice.
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Joyce Amelia Herron (nee Greenwood) at St. Joseph’s Villa Dundas in her 99th year. She is survived by daughter Terese (Shawn Cook) and granddaughter Jessica. Missed by sisters-in-law Margaret and Mary (Syd), many nieces and nephews and extended family and friends. Predeceased by husband of almost 70 years James Grant Herron, parents Elsie and William Richards, and father Samuel Greenwood.
Joyce grew up in Woodstock, Windsor and Hamilton and worked as a bank teller at the Bank of Montreal. She was always willing to help out and care for others. She volunteered extensively at St. James Anglican Church in Dundas, as an active member of the ACW, Hospitality and a team lead on Alter Guild and Meals on Wheels. Throughout her life she loved caring for others in any way she could whether providing a ride to church or appointments, or caring for family members as needed. Joyce loved to cook, creating countless memories with family dinners. Joyce has joined the love of her life Jim and her best friends of seventy plus years Marjorie and Isobel.
Special thanks to all the staff at St. Joseph’s Villa especially on Lilac Garden for their compassionate care of Joyce, her special caregivers Penny and Patti and to Dr. Anna-Marie Emili for her excellent care over the years.
A visitation will be held at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street., Dundas, on Thursday, February 13th from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Celebration of Life will be held at St. James Anglican Church, 137 Melville Street, Dundas, on Friday, February 14th at 11:00 a.m. A reception will take place immediately following the service in the parish hall.
Don Smith passed away peacefully at his residence on February 4, 2025. Don is predeceased by his parents, Herbert and Lillian Smith. Proud brother of Herbert “Gary” (Shirley), uncle of Matthew, Geoffrey and Kathleen, and father to Robert and Juanita. Visitation to be held at Turner Family Funeral Home. 53 Main St., Dundas on Monday February 10, 2025 from 2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.. Service will be held at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St., Dundas on Tuesday February 11, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. with burial to follow at White Chapel Memorial Gardens.
Joyce Eileen Falco (née Brook) | April 13 1925 – February 2, 2025
We celebrate the life of Joyce Eileen Falco (née Brook) and announce her passing. Joyce died peacefully on February 2, 2025 after a short stay in hospital.
Joyce was predeceased by her beloved husband of 65 years, James (Jim) V. Falco, and was a devoted and loving mother of eight children: Leonard (Debby), James (deceased) (Tanis), Mark, David (Loretta), Christopher (Anna), Barbara Kazemi (Reza), Elizabeth (Joe) and Paul (Sandy); proud Grandmother to eighteen grandchildren, Benjamin, Katelyn (Greg), Jim (Nancy), Steve (Terri), Carolann, Victoria, Allison, Dylan, Samantha (Jim), Graeme, Julia, Laura, Yasmin (Aggrey), Mina, Cyrus, Julia N., Timothy and Kelly; eight great-grandchildren, Jason, Emma, Jonathan, Melanie, Angelica, Hannah, Nicholas and Tano.
Predeceased by her siblings Eric, Ruth, Harold, and Ralph, Joyce will be fondly remembered by her many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The daughter of Elizabeth Redmayne of Yorkshire and Frederick Brook of Guernsey, England, Joyce grew up in Hamilton, attended Westdale Secondary School and became a pioneer in early childhood education. She thrived helping establish and run multiple nursery and kindergarten programs in both Ontario and California and was a thoughtful, caring and innovative educator. She was also involved in her church from an early age, and had fond memories as a camp leader at the Anglican Diocese’s Camp Artaban in Ancaster. The skills developed throughout her career translated seamlessly into managing her home with eight children to raise on the family farm in Lynden, Ontario.
Joyce met Jim at a Valentine’s Day dance in 1955 where they took over the dance floor! This led to a late-night coffee date from which their partnership blossomed into a deep connection. Five months later they married and together raised their growing family. Joyce served as a confidante and wise advisor to Jim in business matters and they navigated the ups and downs of parenting as a thoughtful and unified team. They shared 65 years of marriage, and the dancing continued as they grew old together into their 90s.
Joyce was keen to share her love of learning and varied interests with the family which resulted in her children having diverse opportunities – from speech and piano lessons, to a range of sports, theatre and opportunities to travel. She also connected with her community in a variety of ways: helping at Sunday school programs, book clubs, the Women’s Canadian Club, as the condo social director and on the executive of the local lawn bowling club. Along with Jim, they quietly supported many individuals and organizations through difficult times, always with a spirit of building hope and confidence.
Joyce’s grandchildren have cherished memories of visiting her and Grandpa on the farm, and not only did it broaden their childhood experience and develop close bonds, they also returned home a little better behaved and on a good sleep and meal schedule! Grandma has been a constant in their lives and they feel blessed to have benefitted from her wisdom and nurturing well into their adulthood.
Joyce had a quiet competitiveness, whether it was during a family board game, a round of bridge with friends, watching her beloved Toronto Blue Jays or executing a master class in the game of Scrabble with any and every challenger, right up to the age of 99!
As wonderful hosts, many friends and family will have memories of Joyce and Jim entertaining regularly at the farm, and later at their home in Westdale and then at the condo in Dundas. Whether a Falco reunion of 200 or an intimate dinner with friends, Joyce always brought a special refined touch to ensure a delicious meal, fun and a beautiful ambiance. And she was always ready for guests, with cookies or chocolates and some tea or wine stashed away just in case.
Joyce carried herself with stoicism and grace. She was a strong and independent woman, courageous in her convictions. She was a role model for all and along with Jim has left a legacy of focusing on what matters: family, friendship, health, community, learning and fun.
The family extends a special thanks to Drs. Prangley, George, and Misiaszek, the staff at Juravinski Hospital and to caregivers Mandy, Pat, Flora, Jocelyn, Tammy, Cynthia and Katherine for their dedication and compassionate care.
Friends and family are welcome to join in celebrating Joyce’s life at St. James Anglican Church, Dundas, on Tuesday February 11 at 11:00am. If you can, please wear a touch of pink to honour Joyce’s favourite colour and that special Valentine’s Day dance back in 1955.
A reception will follow at the Dundas Valley Golf & Curling Club.
To help celebrate Joyce’s life, we encourage you to send your support to Roots of Empathy – an organization that Joyce admired and that “develops empathy in children today so they can build the world that they deserve.”
It is with great sadness that the family announces the peaceful passing of Donna at the age of 90. Her final years of life were spent under the kind and compassionate care of the staff at The Meadows long term care in Ancaster, Ontario. Despite her long battle with dementia, it had not completely taken away her bright personality, her intellect, her warmth and her beautiful red hair. The staff told us that she was among their favorite residents. All of the staff who knew her became fond of her and they feel the sadness of her loss as much as the family and friends do. We wish to offer a heartfelt thank you to all of the personal care workers, the nurses, the Executive team and to Dr. Douglas. We will be forever grateful for the patience and the love that they showed to her.
Donna was born and raised in Dundas (Hamilton) Ontario. She was the only child of Norman Grieveson and Agnes (Connon) Grieveson. Norman was a hard-working labourer from England and although they were never wealthy Norm and Ag created a loving and supportive home for Donna on quiet Allan Ave. Donna is predeceased by her devoted husband William (Bill) Dobson. They shared a beautiful and loving marriage through 64 years at the time of his death in 2020. They adored each other and at the time of Bill’s death his only regret was that he would no longer be with her. She is survived by her only child and son Gregory, daughter-in-law Caroline, granddaughters Sarah and Olivia, nieces Carol, Ginny and Nancy and nephews Rick, Andrew, William and Fred. Her relationship with Carol (Croucher) was particularly strong and meaningful to her. She was more like the sister that she had never had. They travelled together, shared a good sense of humour and had so much fun. After the loss of her husband Bill, Ginny Dobson sent regular letters and pictures from her garden that gave Donna much comfort. The family wishes to thank all of the friends and family members who loved Donna and who have expressed their condolences or shared stories. A special thank you goes out to a family friend Suzanne Bauman. Over Donna’s time at The Meadows and until the very end she would visit every Sunday to share a Tim Hortons coffee and a donut and to have a chat. Even when Donna was not able to chat.
Donna was extremely intelligent, artistic, a gifted natural athlete and very beautiful. The story goes that when her future husband Bill spotted her in church for the first time, he told himself that she was the woman he was going to marry. She was one of the top students at Westdale Collegiate Institute and apparently, she was virtually unbeatable at the game of bridge. She was active in athletics and various sports became an important part of her future personal and family life. Bill made good on his promise to himself and after a short courtship asked for her hand in marriage. Donna and Bill were married on October 13,1956. After her successful career at Proctor and Gamble Donna then turned her energy and attention to becoming an incredibly supportive wife and mother. Their only child, a son, came along about a year after they were married. Bills career required them to move frequently all across Canada and he always said that it was his bride who showed the strength and resolve to get them through the stress. She would turn a new, cold house into a beautiful, warm, welcoming home very quickly. She had a tremendous flair for style and decorating. Donna enjoyed being social and she was the driving force behind quickly meeting new friends in an unfamiliar city. Donna touched the lives of many, and she remained in contact over the years with their friends from all across the country.
She was a devoted mother. Although she never gave herself enough credit for it. She always carried guilt that the sometimes chaotic family life of career transfer moves, new cities, new schools, the loss of friends was potentially detrimental to her son’s development and happiness and that it was somehow her fault. Nothing could be further from the truth. Her son, like many others, feels that he owes so much to her.
Donna still found the time to develop her own personal passions, and she always did everything well. They enjoyed golf as a couple, but she was the true golf talent. Bill would always just smile in admiration of her when she would typically shoot a lower score. She always became active volunteering and on committees at the various clubs they joined. She was a terrific organizer and knew how to get things done even when they were difficult. She also quietly, without fanfare, would often be in the top running for the ladies golf champion.
Donna loved gardening. The family remembers the presence of fresh cut flowers, often from her garden, in their home. Later in life she became a regular patron of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario. She took courses there and just found great peace and joy in spending time there. She was a terrific skier and despite her real fears of winter driving and icy slopes she was brave and strong and always came along on the family ski excursions.
She was an avid reader. She could always be seen with her latest book in her hand. Her granddaughters are convinced that their own love of reading has, at least in part, been passed down to them from Donna. She would always say that she did not love cooking and baking but in fact she was excellent at both. She did take great pride in serving a lovely dinner to friends and family and people always wanted her recipes. The good food and wine, the companionship and the fun that were always a great part of her dinner parties meant a lot to her and also to her pride and self-esteem as a host.
Donna had a presence in a room, and she truly enjoyed conversation, laughter and human interaction. Not in a selfish, arrogant manner but in her quiet, genuine way framed with humility. She lived a full, vibrant and meaningful life. We will miss her terribly.
Cremation has taken place. The family will announce the date and location of a celebration of life that will take place in the future. In lieu of flowers or gifts please direct any donations in her memory to the Royal Botanical Gardens. 905-527-1158 https://secure.rbg.ca/donate/q/18
Should anyone wish to share a personal story, or a memory feel free to send them along to gdobson@dal.ca.
