We are deeply saddened at the passing of Joan Roberts, a founding member of CATCH who has been active through our entire nine-year history. Joan also spent many years in the volunteer steering committee of Friends of Red Hill Valley during the effort to preserve that natural area from an expressway, and she subsequently became the central organizer of the annual Spirit of Red Hill Valley lectures. She was also active in KAIROS.
She was a treasurer for CATCH, monitored standing committees of city council, and contributed research, transcriptions and consistent wisdom and organizational strength. She was also the frequent author of pithy letters to the editor of various publications. Principled, passionate and quietly radical, Joan was respected by everyone who knew her. She will be greatly missed. Our sympathies go out to her family and many friends.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will take place on Saturday, January 12 at 1:00 pm in Olivet United Church (where she was the secretary for a number of years). The church is located at 40 Empress Avenue in Hamilton, one block south of Queensdale and two blocks east of Upper James.