Margaret Joy Willmott died peacefully in Montreal, Quebec, on May 24th, 2022, aged 99 years. Joy, as she was called, was the eldest child of Canadian educational missionaries Lesslie Earl and Mary Katharine (Geyer) Willmott, born on December 29th, 1922, in Renshou, Sichuan, China.

Joy grew up mostly in Chengdu where she attended the Canadian School in West China. She traveled to North America twice and around the world once during her parents’ furloughs. Then in 1940 she moved to North America permanently to attend college. She received her BA from Oberlin College (1946) and many years later her MA in psychology from McGill University in Montreal. After living in Minneapolis and New York City for a few years, Joy settled in Montreal, where she had a long productive career as a teacher and a school guidance counsellor for the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal.

Throughout her life Joy was a dedicated worker and an enthusiastic traveler. She was a wonderful aunt to her three brothers’ many children. She enjoyed cottaging with her relatives and friends, as well as reading and corresponding with friends all over the world. She was predeceased by her parents and three brothers, Donald Earl (Liz), Richard Curtis (Jill) and William Edward (Diana). She is survived by her three sisters-in-law, her very dearest friends Louis Arsenault and Bruno Bédard, and numerous nieces and nephews. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Arrangements are made by the Blythe Bernier Funeral Home. Condolences to the family can be made on their website www.mountroyalcem.com .
Reflecting Joy’s lifelong dedication to the welfare of children, contributions can be given to Dans La Rue youth shelter.