SOWBY, Joyce Katharine - 1927 - 2022 Joyce passed away on January 5, 2022 at Sunnybrook Hospital, age 94.
She was the beloved daughter of the late Laurence and Lulu Rous and former wife of the late David Sowby.
Joyce was active at St. James Cathedral, Trinity College Alumnae and Havergal College Old Girls.
A librarian at Scarborough College and the Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Joyce's interests were broad from Canadian history, the subject of her Queen's University MA, to Canadian art, particularly the Group of Seven about whom she published articles on the artists' time at her father's firm, Rous and Mann.
Always curious, Joyce enjoyed art, travelled extensively, studied French, read voraciously, and attended lectures on history, art and religion into her 90s.
She took enormous interest in everyone she knew: family and cousins; longstanding school, camp (Oconto) and university friends; her church community; the Parwana family from Afghanistan, sponsored by St. James for resettlement in Canada, whom she treated as family; and devoted neighbours and caregivers who helped her live at home until her final days.
Particular thanks are due to Jane Pineda and Ann Aziz Dear for the kindness and care given to Joyce. Ever the librarian, for decades Joyce produced just the right book at Christmas for many relatives and friends.
She devoted herself to the Trinity College Book Sale, sorting history books through the year and manning the tables during the sale. Her Christmas parties were legendary.
Most important to Joyce was her faith and community at St. James where she was active and worshipped for most of her life.
In 2018 she was awarded the Order of the Diocese of Toronto in recognition of her outstanding work at the Cathedral.
Joyce will be missed by many and remembered for her generosity, kindness, faith and optimistic outlook on life.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date at The Cathedral Church of St. James.
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