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JOAN MARIE KITCHEN
Born: Apr 14, 1949
Date of Passing: Feb 12, 2026
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryJOAN MARIE KITCHEN
Peacefully, and surrounded by family, Joan passed away at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.
Predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Gordon; parents, Harold and Jean Smith; and sister Catherine; Joan is survived by her son David Kitchen (Sandra); daughter Jennifer Lane (Matthew); grandchildren, Emmett, Arwen, Anna, and Oliver; brother George (Dawn) Smith and beloved nieces and nephews.
Joan was born in St. Thomas Ontario. The middle child of Harold and Jean Smith’s three children, she spent much of her childhood in Southern Ontario, and Europe. Joan had a big personality in a small package - she often joked that touring Europe in the back seat of a Volkswagen packed full of camping supplies with her brother and sister kept her short.
After the family returned to Canada, Joan went to high school in Portage la Prairie attending Portage Collegiate Institute where Gord Kitchen and his 1964 Ford Fairlane caught her eye. Joan and Gord married in 1967 and moved to St. Vital in Winnipeg where they started their family. In the 80s the family moved to Southdale where Joan was involved in many community activities, like coaching softball.
Joan worked as a bank teller, where she got to know many dear colleagues and clients, and she volunteered for many organizations and was always generous with her time. She made many life-long friends among her colleagues, with neighbours in Winnipeg and at the cottage on Nutimik Lake, and nearly anyone who got to know her.
Joan was a devoted wife and loving mother and always worked hard to make events like Christmas, birthdays and other celebrations special, often cooking twice as much food as needed, and usually having it ready 20 minutes late.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at the Motor Neuron Clinic at Deer Lodge, the ALS society of Manitoba, staff at The Meadows Retirement Residence, all the caregivers in her life, and especially all her close friends who visited over the past months.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ALS Society of Manitoba (alsmb.ca)
A farewell for Joan will be planned for spring 2026 in Poplar Point.
A photo biography honouring Joan’s life is accessible through the 'tributes' link below.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 28, 2026
