JOYCE KONOPSKI

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JOYCE KONOPSKI

Joyce was born on October 5, 1937, in Minnedosa Hospital to Jack and Freda (St. John) Thompson and grew up on the family farm west of Long Lake about 3 miles from Basswood. Joyce enjoyed a happy childhood with her parents, her brother, Ron, aunts, uncles, cousins, dogs and cats. She had 4 dearly loved grandparents who remained alive in Joyce’s memory for her entire life.

Joyce went to school in Basswood. She finished Grade 11 at age 16 and moved to Brandon for university. In 1958, Joyce graduated and became a social worker, working in Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. After a few years, she took a break to travel in Europe. When she returned, she got a degree in education at the University of Manitoba and taught French in Winnipeg. In 1965, she took a short-term assignment in Sandy Lake where she met Stan Konopski.

Joyce and Stan were married in 1971 and were soon joined by Stan’s sons from a previous marriage, Patrick and Michael. Their daughter, Carolyn and son, Joseph followed. In 1974, Joyce and Stan bought a farm near Basswood. At that point, Joyce had spent 15 years as a career woman, and now found herself with 3 children, diapers to wash and no indoor plumbing during the first months on the farm. She threw herself into being a parent, fixing up the house, growing a garden, cooking and baking. Their farmhouse overlooked Buchanan’s Lake and drew deer, great blue herons, owls, geese, ducks, swans, and pelicans. Joyce always made time to stop and express her wonder at this beauty.

Joyce returned to teaching French in 1983, first in Sandy Lake and then in Erickson.

Joyce was diagnosed with cancer in 1988. Several years later she joined the Waves of Hope, a Brandon-based group of breast cancer survivors that paddled a dragon boat. Joyce had never considered herself an athlete but enjoyed the new physical challenge and camaraderie of being on a team. In 1998, Joyce and Stan sold the farm and moved to Brandon. In retirement, Joyce and Stan finally had the chance to travel and took many trips to visit Carolyn and Joe. Most of all, they loved driving around the Canadian and US prairies.

Joyce enjoyed many life-long friendships starting from her birth in Basswood, the class of ’58 from Brandon University, as a social worker and teacher, and the Waves of Hope. Music was also an important part of her life. As a child, she played piano and sang in talent competitions with her cousin Anna-Gay. Later, she played the organ at Basswood and then Cadurcis United Church. In Brandon, she sang in the choir at First Presbyterian Church.

Joyce was the best mom and grandma. She treated her children as little people with thoughts and feelings that mattered. She listened, had true empathy, and taught her children to think about what it’s like to be in another person’s shoes.

While in hospital for a minor ailment, Joyce fell and sustained a catastrophic brain injury. She spent six days in a coma before passing away peacefully. Joyce was predeceased by many people she loved: her parents and grandparents, her stepson, sisters- and brothers-in-law, her aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, and so many treasured pets. She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Stan; brother, Ron Thompson; children Carolyn (Niall) and Joe (Michelle), stepson Michael, grandchildren Jack and Leo (Cronin), Kort, Kaden and Lexi (Konopski) and many dear friends.

Joyce’s family would like to thank the Angels in the Palliative Care Unit of the Brandon Regional Health Centre whose compassionate care and support eased mom’s passage to her final rest. A celebration of life will happen at a later date.

As published in Brandon Sun on Mar 14, 2026