Joyce Kay Vopni

Her dance with life performed with kindness and grace

Joyce Kay Vopni (nee Clark), passed away peacefully on the morning of March 29, 2024 (Good Friday) at Hillsdale Estates, Oshawa, ON.  Although 95 years old, her passing is none-the-less heartbreaking to her large loving family, as well as friends and all the wonderful professionals at Hillsdale who cared for her these past 14 months with such love and tenderness.  Our family is so very grateful to Hillsdale.

Known for her kindness and “silver-lining” vision, Joyce embraced every day of her life with joy and positivity. The constant smile on her face, highlighted by her favourite shade of lipstick, always close-at-hand, lit up every room she entered.  Her care providers also enjoyed her sweet and happy manner, commenting that even after she got “feisty” with them at times, she always smiled and told them “thank you.”  Joyce’s guiding principle in life was kindness.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, March 15, 1929 under the sign of Pisces, Joyce had the innate ability to “go with the flow,” a very good trait to have when raising 8 children, after marrying Edward Vopni - Linda, Paula, Robert, Peter, Jennifer, Carolyn, Jon and Kenneth, and their loving spouses and partners Robert, Bruno, Anda, Bob, Sandra and Andrea.

A widow since 1989, her family brought her endless happiness and grew to include 12 grand children - Aaron, Ryan & Gloria, Lauren & James, Gabriel, Alex, Justin & Brianna, Jessica, Jody, Mitchell, Harrison, Christopher and Jamie and 2 great-grand children - Vincent and Benjamin. Through the years, she embraced family adventures travelling, playing and laughing together making countless treasured memories.

Joyce always said she had 3 wonderful careers in her life and was grateful for the character-building lessons each one provided. 

#1 – a Ballet Dancer – she was one of the original dancers when the Royal Winnipeg Ballet established its company in Winnipeg shortly after WWII. The ballet provided a life-changing artistic outlet that required great discipline and determination.

#2 – a Mother – she always said, raising a large family took patience, commitment, resourcefulness and resilience.  She had all those qualities, as well as an herculean stamina, never missed an important event in her children’s lives. 

#3 – a Personnel Manager - she began as a file clerk at Royal Life Insurance and worked her way up to a managerial position in HR.  Joyce loved and excelled at her job - giving 110% every day and missing less than a handful of days in 27 years with Royal.  She made many wonderful friends who she remained in contact with throughout the remainder of her life.

Joyce’s joie-de-vivre was evident in everything she did and said.  Always aware, listening and compassionate, she never spoke an unkind word and lived with grace and humility.  She was always content. She enjoyed the simple things in life and found joy in music, bird watching, dance, family gatherings, walking in nature, gardening, flowers and all things beautiful. 

Even in her later years, Joyce always moved with the elegance and the poise of a dancer.

She will be dearly missed and in our hearts forever. There will be a private, immediate family remembrance for Joyce. You can honour her memory by practicing her guiding principle of kindness.