Joice Clarke

Friday, 07 Nov 2014, in her 90th year. Joice was born in the town of Utterson, Ontario, when it was a thriving lumbering community surrounded by farms. Her father, Pat Clarke, and family, built and owned the hotel, barn and general store which were the center of the business community. Joice and her 11 siblings lived in the hotel, along with her parents and the multitude of lumbermen, horse drivers and the men building the road through Muskoka to northern Ontario. Joice had a love for this land and in her autobiography wrote, "I always walked through the forest kicking the leaves underfoot. I loved the smell and breath-taking beauty of this land especially in the spring when I would pick buttercups and May flowers in the hills behind our house. Joice penned, "We lived sixteen miles from the church and Mother and Father always saw to it that we were bundled up for the long drive in the cutter. When roads were impassable our Pastor would come to the hotel and say Mass. Mother would have the parlour and altar all set up and ready. Our relatives, and Catholic neighbours would also attend. "In I939 there were five of us at home. My older brothers and sisters were off to schools in the city. Mother and Father decided to move to Montreal, Quebec." "In 1945 I moved to Toronto, Ontario, to join my three sisters, Eileen, Margie and Olga, who was a registered nurse, to assist in the nursing home for the aged. It had a 53-bed capacity. I was proud when my four brothers returned after serving in the Armed Forces during the war." After learning administrative and nursing skills Joice moved to Fort Lauderdale and for the remainder of her life travelled about, but kept Toronto and Fort Lauderdale as her home bases. Travels took Joice to California where she trained and worked as a singer with many famous names. She made a personal pilgrimage throughout many parts of the world seeking a connection to God. In Hawaii she earned her degree. Later years saw Joice return to Toronto to care for her Mother, and siblings. Here she stayed, devoted their needs until she was admitted to a nursing home. Her home in Leisureworld Muskoka was a contented one because she had her sister Dorothy with her and they were together in the land they loved and grew from. Joice and Dorthy were the youngest two daughters of 12 siblings. Predeceased are Eileen, Olga, Ralston, Albina, Jack, Alphonse, Peter, Margie, Philip, Joe. A funeral Mass was held at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Gravenhurst, on the 10th of November, 2014. The presiding priest was Father Joseph Moran; with thanks. Interment took place at Mickle Memorial Cemetery, Gravenhurst in the Clarke family plot.

Service Information

Monday, November 10th, 2014 1:00pm, St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church

Interment Details

Mickle Memorial Cemetery