I met Joe in 2019 at the city's Renfrew fitness centre. He was more than helpful in showing me around. I was often in the same classes as Joe, lifting weights, cycling, and doing yoga. He told me about his Armenian background, escaping from Lebanon with his parents, moving to Montreal and then to Calgary where he worked in auto repair and painting, how he was now retired and how he used to bring his baby daughter Olivia to fitness classes at Renfrew. Joe was a serious gardener, and when I look at the lily of the valley and the mint that Joe gave me I will think of him. Joe was one of the four people in Doug's Tuesday walking group and always had interesting things to say about many topics, such as his trips with Martine and Olivia to the Bahamas and Armenia, his distrust of all politicians and especially how Martine gave his life meaning and purpose and saved him from himself. Joe brought his dog Daisy on these walks, and it was fun to watch him disciplining Daisy and talking about Daisy's personality. Joe will always be a treasured friend. Barrie Thesen
