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Jo-Anne Harris

July 10, 2014

Jo-Anne McIntyre Harris 63, of Oak Bay, B.C., passed away on July 10, 2014 after a long courageous battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She was born to Harold and Dora (Dolly) McIntyre on April 15, 1951 in Victoria. She graduated from Oak Bay High School in 1969 and three years later received a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of Victoria. She also attended Emily Carr School of Art in Vancouver on scholarship.

She taught primary school, special education, and computers in the Okanagan (mostly in Kelowna), and later in Victoria. She was passionate about teaching her students to a high standard, instilling enjoyment and a love for learning. She married Stephen J. Harris on June 25th, 1983 and their daughter Megan was born on August 6th, 1984. A modern Renaissance person, she expressed herself through fine arts, crafts, computer development, house design, and construction in which she taught herself.

She was an active professional and a member of the B.C. Provincial Child’s Rights Committee. She also engaged in several community activities including Amnesty International, Scouts, and was a figure skating coach. She had a zest for active sports and enjoyed camping, hiking, skating, and horseback riding. Jo-Anne was a quiet yet active person as a human rights activist, in the community and in daily life. Her greatest joy was doing family activities and working as a team with others included development of educational learning materials for school curriculums. To those who knew Jo-Anne, she was known as being a kind, caring and humane person.

Jo-Anne will be missed by her husband Stephen; Daughter Megan (and husband Marc Jacobson); Stephen’s children; David and Beth Harris, and grandson, Charles; Sister Glenna Gillan; nephew Andrew.

The family would like to especially thank Dr. Derek Carroll and the staff and volunteers (including Sally McAuley) at Mount Saint Mary’s Hospital for their unwavering compassion and care throughout the years. We are forever grateful for the love and care they gave her. Donations in Jo-Anne’s memory can be made to Mount Saint Mary’s Hospital or the MS Society. A private unveiling of a memorial plaque on the Harris family picnic table at Cattle Point, Oak Bay will take place this summer. ?


“Adieu ma chérie.”