MESSIER, Joann

After a long and fulfilling life, JoAnn Meisser passed away peacefully on August 12, 2025 at the age of 94 years.

JoAnn was born April 15, 1931 in Payette, Idaho, just across the state border from her family’s home in Ontario, Oregon.  When she was two years old, she moved to Southern Alberta with her parents, Harold and Mabel Hutchinson and her older siblings, Leta Mae and Howard.  The family lived and farmed east of Warner until JoAnn was starting junior high school, at which time they moved into the town of Warner.  She moved to Corvallis, Oregon for her grade twelve year, then enrolled at Oregon State College in Corvallis as a Home Economics major.  JoAnn left college after two years and moved back to Alberta to get married, settling in Lethbridge.  She raised her four children there and considered the city her home for the rest of her life, no matter where else she lived.

JoAnn was the ultimate stay-at-home Mom for most of her kids’ childhood.  She was an excellent cook and baker and was known for a number of specialties, notably her rhubarb and strawberry pie!  She was also an accomplished seamstress, knitter, and quilter.  Each one of her great-grandchildren treasure the personalized baby quilt they were gifted at birth.

When her children were mostly grown, JoAnn rejoined the workforce. She worked for others, both in gift shops and as the manager of the Waterton Natural History Association.  During her time with the WNHA, Mom was the driving force behind having a memorial wall erected in the Waterton Cemetery so people who loved the Park could have plaques with their names added to the wall.  In 1994, she opened Evergreen Gifts in Waterton Park, which she owned and operated for several years.  She had a long history with Waterton, being employed there in the summers from the time she was just fourteen years old.  It was one of her two favourite places in the world. She taught her kids to fish and hike there, and she bought us endless booklets of red and green swim tickets for admission to the swimming pool across the street (although she never did learn to swim!).  Countless precious memories were created at the family cabin.  Mom’s other happy place was Palm Springs, where she enjoyed spending her winters. Everyone who visited her in the desert eventually got introduced to the Sunday afternoon jazz jam at Melvyn’s!  She also loved to travel to other countries; quite a few destinations were crossed off her bucket list in her senior years.

JoAnn is survived by her children Tom (Wendy) Paterson, Jane Paterson (Jay Barsky), Doug (Valerie) Paterson and Allister (Lynn) Paterson, her nine grandchildren, Wes Paterson, Michael Paterson, Shauna Blenkin, Dan Jacob, Katherine Pickering, Molly Pilchar, Wade Paterson, Nikki Paterson and Cory Paterson, eighteen great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

We would like to express our appreciation to The Manor Village Garrison Woods for giving our Mom a wonderful home for almost six years, and to the staff at Intercare Southwood Care Centre, Bonavista West for their compassionate care over the past year and a half.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Waterton Foundation through canadahelps.org or to the charity of your choice.

Cremation has been entrusted to Martin Brothers Funeral Chapels.  A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring of 2026 in Waterton.