Help Joy Johnston celebrate her 100th birthday on June 30!
By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
On June 30, Joy Johnson of Kindersley will be celebrating her 100th birthday! Impressive enough, all of those 100 years were spent living in Kindersley and the surrounding area.
Joy’s family is planning to participate in a birthday parade on June 30. “We can’t do a big celebration, so we’re planning a drive-by,” Carolyn explained. “We’re getting together at the Norman Ritchie Centre at 2:45 p.m. on June 30. Everybody is welcome to join in, and we’ll drive up the street to the Manor, where Mom will be at the front door waving to everybody. We’ll do it rain or shine.” After the parade, several of Joy’s great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren will be spending some time with their grandma.
Carolyn Krause, who resides on Vancouver Island, was one of three children born to Joy and her husband, Ronald. Her parents were married on June 29, 1940, and celebrated 62 years together. Now Joy has five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.
“That’s five generations!” Carolyn said. “That’s pretty amazing!”
Joy was born in Kindersley on June 30, 1921, to Bill and Mary Hanson. She was the oldest of four girls and attended school in Glidden.
She and her husband farmed near Glidden in the Rosanna community. “Mom was a farm wife forever. My dad always said she was always the one who ran the errands and answered the phone,” Carolyn said. “Farm wives just don’t get enough credit.” Carolyn recalls her mom was always busy gardening, sewing or driving her children to activities.
Growing a garden, canning, preserving, cooking and taking meals to the field played a significant part in Joy’s life. Carolyn said her mom loved having family and friends over. “She always had an open home. We always had company, and as kids, we could always have our friends over. Mom was a good cook and would often have people over for the evening meal. And if two more people appeared, more food would automatically appear.”
Not only did Joy love to cook, but she felt volunteering was a debt she owed to her community. She volunteered for numerous organizations, including the Heritage Manor Auxiliary. Now, as a resident at the Manor, Joy is benefitting from those endeavours. “She’s happy to be there and loves every minute of it,” her daughter said. Joy moved to the Manor when she was 96 years old.
She also was a long-time member of the United Church, joining the choir and the United Church Women. “She also volunteered for the Co-op Ladies Guild for a long time,” Carolyn added.
Joy worked hard, but she also loved to curl during her younger days. “As she grew older, she developed a love for the game of golf and loved the many friends she met at the golf course,” Carolyn said.
In 1965 Carolyn’s parents built a house in Kindersley. “They lived in town in the winter and at the farm in the summer,” Carolyn explained. Her parents sold the farm in 1975, after which they lived in Kindersley full time.
The amount of changes my mom has seen during her lifetime is unbelievable!” Carolyn said. Now her family and friends want to celebrate with Joy as she changes from 99 to 100. Be sure to join in the parade on June 30 and wish her a happy birthday.
