A Celebration of Life will be held for Veronica Joan Bunce (nee Hainworth) at Third Avenue United Church, North Battleford on July 18^th, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

Joan was born in Regina on February 8, 1935 and moved to England with her parents at age two. She was repatriated to Canada at age 5 under the Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB) due to the bombing of London. She traveled alone by steamship to Pier 21 in Halifax and from there by rail to Regina then on to live with a family in Kerrobert. She formed lifelong friendships there.

Upon reuniting with her parents in 1946, she moved to North Battleford where she began her journey of faith and community service in the Battlefords and surrounding area.

Joan met Richard (Dick) Bunce in June 1953 and the two were married in 1954. Their home reverberated with the noise of three sons, Terry, David, Michael, and daughter, Jennifer, over the years.

Joan and Dick canoed extensively with friends in northern Saskatchewan for many years and loved to sit and reminisce with them about those trips. She loved the wilderness, the wildlife, and her husband who was her North Star.

Joan was children’s librarian at both the old Carnegie Public Library (Allan Sapp Gallery) and the new North Battleford Public Library until retiring in 1994.  She was involved in the Battlefords Community Players, Do-Si-Do Club, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, and many organizations such as CUPE Local 3077, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Meals on Wheels, the Cancer Society, Sorrento Centre, Plan Canada, and many others.

She was an alumna of the Convent of the Child Jesus and the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon). She graduated with honours from both; the latter being with a Bachelor of Arts in Library Science. She wrote and read prodigiously.

She was a strong-willed fighter who survived both cancer and strokes.

​Joan travelled extensively nationally and internationally with both family and friends or on her own.  She had an adventurous spirit and made her way with canoe or camel, motorcycle or mahout, tuktuk or transport truck.

She passed away in North Battleford on November 30, 2025 after a brief illness.

Joan was predeceased by her son, David; her husband, Richard (Dick) Bunce; and her parents, Les and Veronica Hainworth.

She is survived by her children: Terry (Lili) Bunce; Michael Bunce (Sherry McCulloch); Jennifer (Randy) Luty

Five grandchildren: Tessa (Nic) Swedak; Katherine (Owen) Gieni; Amelia Bunce (Ian Calvert); Melyssa Bunce (Blaine Hatley); and, Anika Luty.

Six great-grandchildren: Beaudan, Lynden, and Wyatt Calvert; and Hailey, Spencer, and Harvey Hatley.

She is also survived by her brother, Ted (Lorraine) Hainworth and nephews, Ryan (Alma) Hainworth with great-nieces/nephew, Brittany, Breanna, Aubrey, Joyce, and Cody; Jim (Vivian) Hainworth; and her aunt, Laurel Osborn.

• Date : 2025-11-30
• Location : North Battleford