Tribute

It is with the greatest sorrow that the family of dear Joanne Helten announces her passing on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 9:11pm. After a long struggle with heart disease and a six-week stay at Langley Memorial Hospital, she was discharged on Friday, October 17, but unfortunately had to return due to complications. It proved to be too much for her precious being to handle and she passed surrounded by her beloved children, Sarah, Jeremy (Rebecca), Benjamin, and Rachel (Ezequiel), their Father Mitch, her grandchildren Owenwolfe and Chase, and her sisters, Janet (Ted), and Jennifer (David). Her brothers Jeff (Sue) and Jon (Nicki) share in the grief and loss of Joanne. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Family was of the utmost importance to her.  She embodied the strength of compassion, and was the most kind and gentle spirit who always put others first. She was a devoted mother, a devout Catholic, and her faith sustained her through many hardships in life. She always greeted friends and family with a smile, and her sense of humour did not diminish, even when she was suffering. Her deep appreciation of the ocean and mother nature lives on in her children, and she is deeply loved and truly missed. She awakened in us the knowing that all beings, the plants and animals, are our kin, that we belong to a universal family, each a cherished part of the whole. With a poet’s soul and an artist’s heart, she danced to her own melody with a fierce love of all. Her spirit continues to inspire us to nurture our creative gifts and to trust in the healing power of art and expression. May we all embrace faith more than fear and love more than pain, as she taught us. To all that knew Joanne, please pray for her friends and family during this time. Joanne has now been reunited with her Mother Bernice, Father Leonard and a host of loving ancestors and angels. Joanne Catherine Helten will live on in our hearts forever.