January 16, 1935 - June 28, 2021
Joan "Jo" Wilson passed away gracefully at the age of 86 on June 28, 2021, in Campbell River, British Columbia, surrounded by her loving family.
Jo was born on Wellington Street in Chilliwack, BC, to Anna and Henry Zacharias on January 16, 1935, the youngest of ten children. Raised in Vancouver, she attended Fairview High School of Commerce before securing a job with BC Electric. She would go on to have a career in medical administration and transcription, working at the MSA Hospital and Abbotsford x-ray clinic for many years.
In 1954, Jo married Stan Falys in Vancouver before moving out to Abbotsford, BC. They had five beautiful children together — Kimberly, Kelly, Gregory (Loreen), Lori (Marvin), and Michael.
In 1977, Jo remarried after being swept off her feet by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Irving William Wilson. His two children, Andrew and Wendy, completed the wonderful mix that is our family.
Jo and Irv spent 44 vibrant years together, remaining blissfully married until Irving passed away on April 27, 2021.
Jo did celebrations like no other. From their self-catered wedding party at the Hole In The Wall in Abbotsford, BC, through legendary family reunions and every single holiday and birthday dinner, she was in her element cooking and entertaining. Her dinner parties were a riot of food and laughter, but her love of entertaining didn't stop at her table.
After taking to the stage in Abbotsford, Jo developed a passion for community theatre, going on to produce nearly every Chilliwack Players Guild production in the 80s. For over 20 years, she put her soul into heading the Chilliwack Dixieland Jazz Festival. Between her endless lists and fearlessness when facing such trivialities as cooking gourmet dinners for 200, her power to organize and accomplish was an inspiration to the communities she lived in.
Jo and Irving moved to Vancouver Island in 2009, where they lived over a decade by the ocean, often enjoying weekend bonfires on the beach with their family.
Jo is survived by her sister Pauline and by the large family she cherished. She is dearly loved by her grandchildren, Ryan, Sean, Jennie, Matthew, Michael, Andrew, Abby, Violet, and Jacob, and her great-grandchildren, Erika, Curtis, Elliana and Mira, Finn, Alexia, and Marvin. She will forever be in all our hearts.
She always said, "However it turns out is exactly the way I intended it to be!"
She lived this motto unto her very last breath.