Obituary of Joan Scheerschmidt

Joan Scheerschmidt

August 12, 1955 – February 12, 2026

Joan Scheerschmidt’s life was a testament to quiet strength, steady devotion, and enduring grace. She passed away peacefully on February 12, 2026, at the Red Deer Hospice. Born on August 12, 1955, in Lethbridge to Hector and Terry Gillespie, Joan entered the world alongside her twin brother, Jim. They joined a lively and loving family that would include nine children, and soon after moved to Taber, where Joan spent most of her childhood. Growing up in such a bustling household shaped her lifelong spirit of kindness, inclusion, and quiet resilience.

In 1977, Joan married her partner for life, Larry Scheerschmidt, in Fairview, Alberta. At the time, Larry was teaching and Joan was working as a bookkeeper for a trucking company. Later that year, they settled in the Stettler area, where Joan worked in the Brand Office. By 1981, with two baby daughters—Heather Marie and Diana—the young family moved to the Scheerschmidt family farm. There, in a remarkable arrangement spanning four generations, Joan and Larry shared a farmyard with Larry’s parents and grandparents. Joan’s warmth and open heart made her a natural fit in this multi-generation setting and she had no trouble gaining the respect and love of her extended family.

Farm life suited Joan. She embraced it fully, tending gardens, preserving produce, baking bread and buns, and even making butter and yogurt with milk from their milk cow. She poured herself into creating a home that was welcoming and full of care. Yet her energy didn’t stop at her own doorstep. She served as secretary for Botha United Church, did secretarial work for Star Ridge School where Larry taught, and volunteered faithfully at Botha School and the Pine Lake Community Centre. As her daughters grew, Joan continued to work at part time jobs outside the home - working at the Stettler Library and later as a teacher aide and library aide, primarily at Star Ridge School, while also substituting in other area schools.

Life, however, asked much of Joan. In the 1990s, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Rather than retreat, she chose courage. She volunteered for a new drug study, enduring regular injections and frequent trips to Calgary for MRI scans at a time when the technology was new and intimidating. She faced it all with determination. Although her MS went into remission, she continued to live with its effects for the rest of her life. Still, she refused to complain or allow the disease to define her. She kept hiking, snowshoeing, and embracing the physical challenges she loved.

In 2011, Joan faced another profound trial; a cancer diagnosis. What followed were years marked by radiation, chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and long hospital stays in Red Deer, Edmonton, Calgary, and Stettler, along with months of home care. The battle was long and grueling, and by the end she was very weak and confined to a wheelchair. But Joan’s story was never one of surrender. Through relentless effort—daily exercise, yoga, grit, and sheer determination—she slowly regained her mobility. From wheelchair to walker, from walker to cane, and eventually to walking sticks, she reclaimed her independence step by step. In her later years, she cherished time with her daughters and their husbands, and especially with her beloved grandchildren. Throughout every chapter, Joan met life’s challenges head-on. She never complained. She never allowed others to feel sorry for her. Instead, she embodied perseverance, humility, and grace.

Joan is lovingly remembered by her devoted husband, Larry; her daughters, Heather Marie (Al) Connors and Diana (Troy) Moskal; and her cherished grandchildren, Lynden and Story Moskal. She is also survived by her siblings Veronica (Lawrence) Hermanutz, Margaret (Gary) Neufeld, Anne (John) Ondrus, David Gillespie, Jim (Cindy) Gillespie, Bill (Trish) Gillespie, Tom Gillespie, and Ian Gillespie; her brother-in-law Ross (Eileen) Scheerschmidt; her sister-in-law Shirley (Rod) Coleman, and many nieces and nephews and their families.

Joan’s life was not defined by illness, but by faithfulness, generosity, and an unyielding spirit. She leaves behind a family strengthened by her example and made better by her presence.

At Joan’s request there will not be a funeral but a memorial for friends and family will be held later this spring.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Red Deer Hospice Society, a charity that supported Joan and her family during her final days. In honour of her generous spirit, the family suggests that donations can also be made to either the MS Society of Canada or the Canadian Cancer Society - charities close to Joan's heart.