Joann Lee Delooze

JoAnn Lee (Jensen) Delooze was 91 when she passed away peacefully in her home in Victoria, British Columbia, on December 24, 2023. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Kenneth Delooze, her son, Allen Murrary Bullock, her daughter, Linda Marie (Bullock) Harrison, and a grandson, Cameron James Calder.

She is survived by two daughters, Jolayne (Bullock) Lenzen, Jackie (Bullock) Tolsdorf; ten grandchildren; three step-children; fifteen great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.

JoAnn’s life began in Magrath, Alberta, on November 15, 1932. She grew up on Happy Valley Farm with her parents and three siblings, with whom she was very close.

In 1951 JoAnn married George Murray Bullock and had four children. She lost her only son in a tragic accident when he was just 19 years old and her daughter, Linda, when she was only 31. JoAnn was heartbroken by these losses, but she actively and courageously chose to live a life of intentional positivity and to find joy in each day.

JoAnn stayed at home while raising her children and was a good mother. When her youngest began school, she started her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the University of Lethbridge. JoAnn was incredibly intelligent and a very gifted student. She adored her time in university and graduated with multiple academic awards and the highest marks in her graduating class. She was a voracious reader and had intense curiosity about a myriad of topics. She kept herself incredibly well informed about politics, world events, pressing issues, humanitarian crises, etc and loved to delve into deep conversation about nearly any issue of importance. She cherished learning so much that when her great-great-granddaughter, Ruby, was born, she gave her a book as a reminder to always love reading and education.

JoAnn had an impressive and accomplished career. She was strong, capable, wise, compassionate, and dedicated. After graduating, she worked in social work and the mental health fields, and eventually became the director of a school for individuals with disabilities and the assistant director of Goodwill for all of Edmonton. It was while working at Goodwill that she met Ken, the love of her life. They worked side by side for many years, then married upon retiring.

It was then that they moved to Victoria, B.C., wanting to escape the frigid Alberta winters and enjoy the ocean. They built a beautiful life for themselves overlooking the harbor, attending university classes, reading everything they could get their hands on, going for walks, eating out, building strong friendships, and engaging one another in deep and lively conversation. Ken and JoAnn were always thrilled to share their world when family and friends came out to visit.

JoAnn suffered from severe osteoporosis and two compression fractures of the spine, resulting in the need for her to wear a cumbersome back brace for the bulk of each day. She was in an intense amount of pain but was determined to have a positive attitude and to enjoy her life. She managed the pain by doing Aquafit at the local pool each morning, and it was there that she met and curated relationships with her dearest friends, whom she referred to as family. They exercised together, played games regularly, went for meals, took trips, and supported one another through innumerable life events.

JoAnn was an incredibly thoughtful, loving, passionate, dedicated, warm, inspiring woman. She had the ability to make everyone she met feel like they were the most important and loved person in the world. She always had a smile on her face and a pocketful of witty banter for anyone willing to engage. She was dearly loved and is already sorely missed.

JoAnn’s ashes will be scattered in a few of her favorite locations, and a portion will be laid to rest in the Jensen family plot in Magrath, Alberta.