Obituary of JoAnne Murdoch Bates

December 20, 1943 – Lachute, Quebec

December 9, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

JoAnne Bates of Calgary, AB, passed away on Friday, December 9, 2022, at the age of 78 years.

Born in Lachute, Quebec to Jimmy and Lila Murdoch, JoAnne was the third of five children. Raised in Brownsburg, she had a passion for family, fun, hard work, and sports. After finishing school, Mom honed her craft as a caregiver at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal where she graduated and became a nurse. Her nursing skills would then be put to use for the next 50 plus years at hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, the Calgary Board of Education, and of course, home.

JoAnne met her love, Mark, and they married in 1967. Over the next eight years, they would start a family that included four boys. Life’s twists and turns would see them buy a farm, move across the country three times, and finally set up for good in Calgary in 1990. At this time, she added bookkeeper to a resume that already included Mom, nurse, and sports fan. Mom rarely missed watching her boys play their chosen sports. Hockey, basketball, soccer, volleyball, badminton, wrestling, and track…anything her boys were doing, she was their biggest fan. Continuing to nurse part time in the 90’s as well as helping Mark live his dream as a business owner, she took accounting courses and made sure that she was able to keep the office while Mark was out building their business.

The new millennium brought mom her greatest joy, and a name change. She became “Nan” to Callum, Evan, Cam, Lucas, Brad, and Cheyenne. Nan put more kms on her Kia attending sports, recitals, concerts, and birthday parties than she did doing anything else. She could be heard in the crowd asking others who they were there to watch, and then quickly pointed out who she was there to see. When it came to her grandchildren, her love and generosity were unmatched.

Besides her loving husband Mark, JoAnne is survived by her sons, Kent (Mandy), Kevin (Shelley), and Kirt (Sheryl); and her “special 6” - Callum, Evan, Cam, Brad, Lucas, and Cheyenne. She is also survived by her sister Norine (Jerry) Demeria, and sister-in-law Margaret Kelly, as well as several nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her infant son Scott Murdoch Bates, parents, Jimmy and Lila Murdoch, stepmother Monique Diotte-Murdoch, sisters, Linda McLean Howard, and Cheryl Murdoch, brother Leslie Murdoch and his wife Nancy.

A Celebration of JoAnne’s Life will be held at McInnis & Holloway (Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB) on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Mrs. Bates’ service streamed live on the day of the service streamed live (see below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

Her support for the Heart and Stroke Foundation as well as the Canadian Cancer Society was unwavering as she was a survivor and benefactor of both. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made to KidSport Canada - Alberta, Box 36107, Lakeview RPO, Calgary, AB T3E 7C6 Telephone: 1-(888) 91-4kids or (403) 217-3761, www.kidsportcanada.ca, Jumpstart, 2180 Yonge Street, PO Box 770, Station K, Toronto, Ontario  M4P 2V8, Telephone: 1.844.YES.PLAY (937.7529) https://jumpstart.canadiantire.ca/ or to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, 200, 119 – 14th Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6 Telephone: (403) 264-5549, www.heartandstroke.ca.

In living memory of JoAnne Bates, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.

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