Obituary of Joan Eleanor Keirstead

Joan Eleanor (Pirrie) Keirstead It is with much sadness that we announce the death of our dear mother, Joan Eleanor Keirstead, widow of Paul Frederick Keirstead, in Halifax on February 3, 2011. Born in Bombay, India February 2, 1918, she was the daughter of the late Hamilton and Eleanor (Baird) Pirrie. Joan grew up in Woking, Surrey, England and graduated from Ancaster House School in Bexhill and Domestic Science College in London. She worked briefly at Roedean School for Girls before joining the ATS branch of the British Army (Second Lieutenant) and met her husband Paul, an officer in the Canadian Armoured Corps, in 1944. Married in Woking, Surrey in 1945, Joan came to Canada with her infant daughter as a war bride in 1946 on the RMS Queen Mary landing at Pier 21 in Halifax. Joan lived for almost fifty years in Renforth, NB. She was the first female councillor on the Renforth village council, a member of the IODE, the Union Club, the Riverside Golf and Country Club and a Past President of the Kennebecasis Garden Club. She was also an active member of the Ladies Guild of St. James the Less Anglican Church in Renforth, a volunteer in the Docent Program at the NB Museum, the NB and Kings Co Historical Societies and with Meals on Wheels. Joan lived in Hampton with her daughter Sandra for a number of years and, more recently at the Berkeley in Bedford, NS and at the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building in Halifax, NS. Joan is survived by daughters Sandra (Richard Thorne) of Hampton, NB and Gillian (Geoffrey Biddulph) of Bridgewater, NS, son Andrew (Linda) of Pictou County, NS; four grandchildren: Clare Terlouw (Jan-Willem) of London, England, Dr. Michael Biddulph (Sarah) of Dartmouth, NS, Dr. James Keirstead (Tanis) of Cambridge, England and Christine O’Donnell (Andrew ) of Hammonds Plains, NS and great grandchildren: Heath and Ethan Terlouw, Peter, Mark, Alexander and Dane Biddulph and Liam and Ava O’Donnell. She is also survived by her sister Betty Davies of Bridgewater, NS, nephew Christopher Bradley and niece Susan Passmore both of Toronto. She was predeceased by her sister Pamela Bradley. At Joan’s request there will be no visitation. Cremation will be followed by a Memorial Service at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Rothesay, NB on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Salvation Army or the charity of the donor’s choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to J. Albert Walker Funeral Home Halifax, NS. http://www.walkerfh.com/