“Heaven gained the strongest angel today. You will always be thought of and loved to pieces, Nana.”
- A quote by one of her granddaughters
Juanita Jeanne Hall, nee Robinson, born September 28, 1932 passed away peacefully on Sunday May 28 surrounded by family.
Jeanne was born and raised in Port Alberni, BC the third of six children.
Jeanne met Bob, her husband of 51 years, through mutual friends. Bob was dating Jeanne’s best friend but it wasn’t long before he realized he was dating the wrong girl! Their first date was the Cinderella movie, that Bob couldn’t afford the tickets to, so they met inside the theatre! Bob and Jeanne enjoyed doing all the things young people did in those days, movies, playing cards, going downtown and window shopping at night, family picnics to Parksville and swimming in Sproat Lake. They quickly realized they were to spend the rest of their lives together and Bob proposed to Jeanne on Christmas Eve of 1951. They married in Port Alberni on March 1, 1952 and one of Bob’s most vivid memories was of Jeanne walking down the aisle.
Their first home together was in a furnished apartment - a converted garage. Bob and Jeanne moved around the Lower Mainland before finding the perfect little family home in Kelowna on November 4, 1952. In 1959, their family started to expand incrementally with Jimmy, Steven and Michael each arriving two years apart. Bob and Jeanne’s marriage was progressive for it’s time – Jeanne looked after the kids through the day and Bob took the night shift, no matter what! (Nana always liked her sleep!)
Bob and Jeanne were always up for adventure and they decided to move their young family to Salmon Arm in 1964 when they started the local radio station CKXR.
Jeanne loved spending her summers at the family cabin on Shuswap Lake that they purchased in 1968. When Jeanne’s boys were still school age, she would be waiting on the last day of school to pick them up and immediately move to the lake until the first day of school in September. Jeanne continued this tradition of spending her summer months at the cabin, enjoying her afternoon tea in the swing gazing out across the lake.
In 1970, Bob and Jeanne had the option to move back to Kelowna, but Jeanne said “no way”. She dearly loved Salmon Arm, the friends they had made, and the life they had built together. In 1974, Bob and Jeanne acquired the remaining shares of CKXR and became sole owners. They were a true partnership in many business ventures and, most importantly, in 51 years of marriage.
Jeanne was never one for sitting still. Even with a young family and several businesses, she found the time to give back to the community she so sincerely loved. She joined the Shuswap Lake Hospital Ladies Auxiliary in 1965 and worked on many fundraising projects to benefit the hospital as well as working in the hospital gift shop once a week. She was dedicated to the Auxiliary and finished her last shift in the gift shop Thursday May 25 at 4:00pm and was admitted to the hospital half an hour later.
Jeanne was a very social person and enjoyed the company and friendship of the Tuesday Trekkers, with the obvious highlight being coffee and dessert after their weekly walks.
Jeanne’s other passions in life included pottery, sewing and cross stitching. Jeanne was the longest standing member of the Salmon Arm Pottery Club and was very supportive of new members, always willing to take the time to mentor them in their new hobby. Many lucky people had the privilege of purchasing Jeanne’s lovely creations at the local pottery sales. Her sewing abilities were utterly amazing. Jeanne was given her first sewing machine in 1966, it was hand-cranked, portable, and manufactured in the 1800’s in England. Her precision and attention to detail with her stitches was awe inspiring. Her grandchildren were the recipients of countless outfits with the special designer “Love Nana” label. Jeanne’s cross stitch was often entered into the Salmon Arm Fall Fair for which she was awarded many ribbons. Many people were fortunate enough over the years to try her famous award winning (repeat times at the fall fair) chocolate cake. Nana’s chocolate birthday cakes were coveted by the family as she always put a quarter in each slice; however, when loonies came into circulation the family experienced a windfall!
Jeanne was an adventurous soul, travelling the world for many years with Bob. After Bob’s passing she continued her adventures with her family, sisters, and her sister-in-law Helen Hall. She enjoyed experiencing many new places and cultures, but Maui always called her back. All of her adventures were very meticulously documented in a vast library of photo albums.
Jeanne enjoyed living independently in the dream home she designed in 1979, especially raking up wind storm debris and asking for one of her sons to come over and empty her wheelbarrow.
Early Sunday May 28, the northern lights were in full view over Salmon Arm. It is at this time that Jeanne continued onto her next adventure.
Jeanne leaves behind three sons, Jim (Jaz), Steven (Judy) and Michael (Alison) and six grandchildren, Jonathon, Daniel, Brittany, Nicole, Joshua and Mackenzie who all love and miss her dearly. She was predeceased by her husband, Bob (Robert James) in 2003.
A Celebration of life service and reception will be held from the Gathering Place, 350 30th street NE, Salmon Arm, on Saturday morning, June 17th at 11 a.m. with Capreece Bowers the Funeral Celebrant.
In honour of Jeanne’s 52 years being a dedicated member of the Shuswap Lake Hospital Auxiliary, the family request in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Shuswap Hospital Foundation, the Jeanne Hall memorial fund, PO Box 265, Salmon Arm V1E 4N3. These funds will be directed towards the purchase of an item for the ICU at Shuswap Lake General Hospital.
On line email condolences may be sent to Jeanne’s obituary at www.bowersfuneralservice.com
Funeral arrangements are in the care of Bowers Funeral Home, Salmon Arm.