Joan Wright

Joan Wright

August 3rd, 1928 — June 18th, 2025

Marjorie Joan Corrie was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on August 3rd, 1928. She was the first child of Kathleen and Walter Corrie. Joan had a happy and loving childhood. She grew up during the hard times of the Great Depression. Her family was frugal and her parents worked hard to give Joan and her three younger brothers what they needed. This way of life was instilled in Joan and “waste not, want not” was her way.

Joan enjoyed the simple pleasures of life growing-up; bottle feeding piglets before school, skating on the Red River, spending time with her Irish Grandma Corrie, learning to knit and make potato cakes, and spending time with her English “Gran” at the Pony Track, out at Winnipeg Beach. Summers were spent at the cottage at Matlock on Lake Winnipeg, where they lived happily and simply.

In 1942, Joan met Peter whilst ice skating. She was captivated by him. Joan would leave early to be on his bus, greeting him with her morning person energy. A cheery “good morning” was met with Peter replying “what’s good about it?” However, something certainly clicked between them, and they were together ever since. Peter wrote in his book that he was bright enough to realize this outgoing girl was absolutely the best thing that ever happened to him. They were life-long best friends and held an unbreakable bond.

Joan loved school. She recalled that it was unusual to finish school beyond grade 9, as kids were expected to get a job to contribute to the family. There weren’t any boys in the upper grade levels as they were all away at war. At fourteen, Joan asked to leave school, but her Uncle Sam advised her to stay in school and get all the education she could. Joan finished school with top marks. The war years were hard on everyone. Joan lived through years of food rations and black-out requirements. The only way to get through was to work hard, and they did.

In 1947, Peter joined the RCMP. Joan was devastated he was leaving, but he teased Joan that it was, in fact, her mother who gave him the application to join! Peter wanted to be a good provider for Joan, looking ahead to their future. In those years, the RCMP had restrictions on marriage. Peter had to be twenty-four years old, have five years of service, and at least $1,200 dollars in the bank (that was nearly a year’s salary when Peter joined the force). Therefore, Joan had a long wait to marry her Mr. Wright!

While Peter was away in Depot, and later manning his first posts, Joan filled the years working and expanding her horizons. Since she was good at math, Joan began working at Great West Life Insurance company. She loved her years working in the accounting department, as well as the people she worked with. Joan also worked at The Orchid Florist, joined many clubs, earned her cross-arms at the riffle range, enjoyed curling, snowshoeing, entered a beauty pageant, and she wrote Peter every night.

On Christmas Eve, 1951, Joan and Peter were officially engaged, and on August 29th, Peter’s application to marry Joan was finally granted! Joan and Peter married on Wednesday, September 3rd, 1952, at St. John’s Cathedral in Winnipeg.

Immediately, Joan began a new chapter as an RCMP wife. Back in those days, at a one-man detachment, an RCMP office was just off of the residential living quarters. For Joan and Peter, there wasn’t any indoor plumbing and the office wasn’t heated. Water was often contaminated with dead sparrows or mice in the old cistern, so they had to buy their drinking water in five gallon cans from the hospital. The “bathroom” was a honey bucket hidden in a cupboard, but there was an outhouse at the back by the lane. As the Constable’s wife, Joan had to handle all phone calls, take complaints, record the daily police broadcast, and handle the drunks who showed up after the pub had closed. Joan allowed “exhibits” (deceased babies, intestines, and poisoned dogs, to name a few) bound for the lab in her refrigerator. She was the “Best Second Man” to Peter, and she thrived in her new roles.

Joan and Peter loved being married. Donald, Lori, and Cheryl made them into a family, and years later, Diane joined. They loved family life, taking camping trips, visiting family in Winnipeg, and travelling to Disneyland and San Fransisco.

Being an RCMP family meant they moved frequently. Joan never complained, but instead, took each move as an opportunity to meet new people. Every promotion meant a move to a new house, and Joan was a master at making the new house into a home. Joan and Peter lived in all four western provinces. The family lived in Regina Beach, Regina, Kipling, Regina (again with promotion), Claresholm, Victoria, Chilliwack, Calgary, and Edmonton (and again, with promotion).

Along the way, Joan was never idle. She participated in various clubs, groups, and activities. She worked at Sears and the Hudson’s Bay, and as an enumerator. She joined the Rotary Ann, Curling, Bridge Club, and the Scarlet and Gold Club. Joan was a Guiding leader for many years, and was Brown Owl to all three of her daughters as they went through guiding. A true extravert, Joan made friends at each posting, whom she kept long after she moved away.

When Peter was promoted to a Commissioned Officer, Joan was no longer allowed to work. She embraced her new responsibilities as an Officer’s Wife. Joan hosted dignitaries, ran the Officers’ Mess social committees, hosted the officers’ wives, and attended balls, treaty signings, and government events. At one time, Joan recalled sewing four formal gowns at once, using the kids’ ping pong table to work on her dresses.

Our family is very proud that Peter, as Assistant Commissioner, had the honour to provide security detail to many Royals and Government Officials. Joan was involved in these Royal and state visits, and enjoyed telling stories of socializing with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles (now King), Princes Andrew and Edward, Princesses Margaret and Ann, and Prime Minister P. E. Trudeau and his wife Margaret.

Though Joan and Peter lived all across western Canada, it was an easy decision to retire to “Sunny Tsawwassen.” Joan and Peter loved their retirement years. Joan again joined many groups, such as Newcomers, St. David’s Agape group, and Stitch and Chat, and she made many friends. Joan and Peter travelled to Europe, New Zealand, England, Ireland and enjoyed a cruise to Alaska. They crossed the USA and Canada in an epic fourteen-week motorhome trip with Diane. They holidayed to Hawaii and Mexico. They became snowbirds, spending the winter months in Arizona and Southern California. Joan loved aqua-cising, line dancing, bike riding, taking and teaching various craft classes, and exploring the desert. They loved to spend time with each of their four children, frequently visiting their homes or hosting the entire gang in Tsawwassen. They were proud to participate in the Military Debutante Balls, first with Diane, and later, with their granddaughters, Sarah and Lindsay, then Katie and Suzanne. Sadly, the Debutante Balls ceased before Claire and Lisa could have their turn.

Joan loved music and dancing; if she heard a polka, she had to get up and dance! Joan also loved crafting, quilting, sewing, knitting, and socializing. In later years, Joan kept connected with friends and family through long phone visits. She could make you dizzy trying to follow her stories, and she always had one to tell! Peter would joke, “if you gave Joan five minutes with someone, we’d find out we’re related!” But it was this love of life that made her life so full and rich.

Throughout all Joan’s life adventures, she was most proud of her family. Her childhood family; her parents and grandparents whom she was so close to, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and then the Wright family. The family she created with Peter was everything to her. They were so proud of their four children. Soon the family grew to include three son-in-laws and a daughter-in-law. Joan and Peter were blessed to have 12 grandchildren whom they loved unconditionally. At 70, Joan survived breast cancer, because nothing was going to stop her from taking care of her new granddaughter. Joan was delighted when her family grew to include 14 great-grandchildren. Aside from being Peter’s wife, Joan took great pride and joy in her job as a mom, grandma, and great grandma!

Joan was a competitive optimist, she was smart and classy, stubborn and stoic. Her religion was Family. It is what she believed in, above all else.

Joan had a huge will to live. She loved life and wasn’t ready to “go.” She wanted to see how all her grandchildren turned out. When she was diagnosed with mandibular carcinoma, Joan handled it as she always did, with grace and determination. “It is what it is,” don’t complain, just persevere. Although disfiguring, and incredibly painful, Joan maintained her positive attitude and enjoyed her family, friends, and the wonderful Heart-to-Heart ladies to the very end.

On June 18th, 2025, Joan passed peacefully in her home in Tsawwassen, surrounded by her family who love her so dearly. She was just six weeks from her 97th birthday.

She lived a full and beautiful life. Our family has lost our rock and our biggest cheerleader; a beautiful, classy lady. We are all truly devastated and our lives will never be the same; 97 years was never going to be enough. She has left the biggest hole in all of our hearts.

Joan is survived by her four children and their spouses. Donald (Teresa), Lori (Bruce Hamilton), Cheryl (Fred Bott), and Diane (Keith Halston); her twelve grandchildren and their spouses: Peter, (Tarryn), Jonathan (Melanie), Daniel (Jacquelyn), Lindsay (Wescott), Sarah (Tyler), Nicholas (Liz), Katie (Cody), Suzanne (Nick), Claire, Brett, Scott, Lisa; and fourteen great-grandchildren: Nathalie, Luke, Skyler, Mary, Tate, Madalyn, Peyson, Olive, Rylee, Brooks, Hugh, Alexander, Henry, and Nellie; her brother, James “Jim” (Cheryhl), sister-in-law Audrey, and many nieces and nephews.

In 2017, Joan was predeceased by her husband and the love of her life, Peter. She was also predeceased by her brothers, Robert “Bob” and Donald “Don” (Eleanor); her beloved parents, Walter and Kathleen Corrie; her brother- and sister-in-laws, John (Margaret), Robert “Bob” (Kay, Irene), Richard “Dick” (Shirley); and her in-laws, John and Violet Wright.

Internment to follow, alongside Joan’s husband Peter, at RCMP Depot Cemetery, Regina, SK. Joan and Peter’s ashes will also be dispersed in Hawaii, Winnipeg, California, and their beloved home in Tsawwassen.

We love you and we will miss you everyday.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Friends of the RCMP Heritage Centre would be appreciated.