Bosomworth, M. Joan; Active citizen of Elora. Peacefully following a brief illness on Monday, March 30, at Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Fergus. Joan Bosomworth (nee: Tolton) of Elora in her 89th year. Beloved wife of the late Ralph (1969). Cherished and devoted mother of David and his wife Brenda, Anne and her husband Gordon Collier of Elora, and the late Mary Armstrong (2004). Loved grandmother of Scott Armstrong (Melinda), Wyatt (Viviana) and Evan. Great grandmother of Zachary and India. Dear sister of Dora (Bob) Fowler of Mt. Forest and Morley and Bernice Tolton of Elora. Joan is survived by a number of nieces, nephews and other family and friends. Friends were received at the Graham A. Giddy Funeral Home, 37 Church St. Elora, on Thursday, April 2, 2009 from 2-4 & 7-9pm. Funeral Service was conducted at Knox Presbyterian Church, Church St. in Elora on Friday, April 3, 2009 at 12pm. Joan grew up in Walkerton with her parents, Alfred and Edith Tolton and her sister, Dora and brother, Morley. She often reminisced of a wonderful childhood which included lots of adventurous outdoor play with her siblings and cousins, especially Lloyd Cartwright. There was a favourite cottage in Port Elgin where the family could go in the summertime. She had fun playing with Dora and looking out for much younger Morley. After her father became disabled in a work accident, the family moved to Elora to start the Kingsway
store in 1940. Joan and Dora both enjoyed working at the store with their mother. They would go to Toronto by train to buy fashions and giftware with Elora customers in mind. The Kingsway Store was a 5 to a Dollar store which sold everything but groceries and hardware and the community depended on it. It ran from 1940 to 1963. These were the days of Saturday night main street socializing and shopping until midnight. Joan would explore Elora and Salem taking her father on excursions in his wheelchair, the pair would go as far as the Red Bridge and go swimming. Joan loved the Elora Gorge, the Irvine River, the Grand River and swimming in the Quarry. In 1947 Joan married Ralph Bosomworth, a Middlebrook farmer, whom she had met at a farmhouse dance-party in Middlebrook. She became a very happy farmwife and mother of three while still working part-time at the store. She learned many skills from her mother-in-law, Mrs. J.P, on the farm. Her life was filled with chores, collecting eggs, gardening, baking and retailing. She made friends with her farm neighbours and they always kept in touch.
In 1969 her beloved husband died and she continued working on the farm with her son, David, as well as
working at, first Centre Hardware, then Pro Hardware, both on Geddes Street. In 1982 she retired to Elora and cared for her elderly mother. In Elora, Joan became a very active citizen. She was President of the Elora Women’s Institute, member of the Fergus W.I., Elora & Salem Horticultural Society, Knox Presbyterian Church, Memoir Writing
Group, Elora Cataract Trailway Association, Elora Centre for the Arts (among others) and a volunteer at the Elora Festival. She enjoyed viewing local theatre productions. Joan also contributed regularly to the Wellington Advertiser and the Fergus-Elora News Express and previous publications. She had a keen interest in history, nurtured by reading the newspaper to her father, a WWI veteran. She was a director of the Wellington County Historical Society and was delighted to assist with the recent history of Pilkington Township. Joan had many supportive friends and neighbours, on Melville Street, on her block and in Elora and Fergus who helped her stay in her little house until her 89th year. She also had a strong church family who looked out for her. Her faith kept her strong as she lost her cherished daughter, Mary, in 2004. Joan loved people and continued to make new friends all her life. She was a good judge of character, an excellent listener and people could depend on her to be a loyal, non-judgemental friend. She was an optimist and always looked on the bright side. She focused on people’s good traits and was a positive role model to her children and grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Joan was most herself writing at her kitchen table. She wrote articles, essays, memoirs, minutes and many letters to editors, MPPs and MPs. She also wrote lovely, long, heartfelt notes to people to mark their successes or losses in life. When her daughter was undergoing radiation, Joan made waiting room time fun by clipping sudokus daily and writing diary-like entries in the margins, no two the same. Joan’s family will miss her funny anecdotes, her verbal histories and her encouragement and love. Memorial Donations can be directed to Groves Memorial Community Hospital- CT Fund or Knox Presbyterian Church Window Restoration, cards available at the Funeral Home (519)843-3100. www.grahamgiddyfh.com.