On Monday, March 16 the beloved wife and best friend of Norman Nelson for 28 glorious years passed away in a short illness. 

The Deaf community respected Joanne for her outstanding leadership in the Canada Association of the Deaf as President, Vice President, Secretary and on the Board of Director for over 50 years. She was also President of the Montreal Association of the Deaf and was very active in MAD. She was a loving teacher who made her students feel comfortable being in Mackay Center. The students always showed gratefulness when later meeting her.  Joanne retired from teaching after 35 years and continued to be a substitute teacher for several more years. She was always excited to see new students. As a result, Joanne was awarded the Queen ‘s Golden Jubilee Medal. It indicates that Joanne have made a significant contribution to Canada, to their community or to their fellow Canadians.

Joanne attended Clark School for the Deaf in North Hampton, Massachusetts and went to Queen of Angels Academy in Dorval. After receiving her diploma, she went to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. where she found her identity as a beautiful Deaf lady. She received her BA degree and attended Western Maryland to study how to teach Deaf children. She received a Master of Arts in teaching.

Joanne got some help from Pioneers of Bell in distributing teletype machines known as TTYs to Deaf adults. 

Joanne had been a member of Canadian Deafness Research and Training Institute. She was one of the founding members for 30 years. 

She attended California State University of Northridge in a study Leadership Training Program and got another Master of Arts degree.

She went to Nebraska for two summers to study computer technology. She took courses at McGill and got her third MA degree.

Joanne met Norman Nelson and they later got married for 28 years.  We traveled a great deal in Europe and volunteered to work with the Inuit deaf in Inuvik. She loved the Inuits a great deal.

Joanne left her two brothers, Larry (and Debbie,) in Kingston, Ontario and Gerald (and Diane) in Ottawa, Ontario. Her nephew Greg and wife Dianee, their two darling tots, Xavier and Tatiana in London, England and her niece Erin Stump in Toronto as well as many beloved cousins and friends. Joanne also left the Nelson family as follows:  Jerry and Dennis Konewko in Minnesota, Margie Simon in Minnesota, Don and Janie Nelson in Wisconsin, Kathy and Dennis -Gavin in Utah, Carole Nelson in Minnesota, and Darlene Cook in Minnesota and the nieces and nephews.

Her hobby was researching the Ancestry of her family from Ireland. She visited Ireland and collected information and made many contacts. She was able to discuss the history of her family very well.

Due to restrictions because of Covid-19 private funeral will be held at a later date.

Donations in memory of JoAnne Stump may be made to Class of 1970 Gift Fund
and send it to:
 
       Gallaudet University Office of Development, Denison House

       800 Florida Avenue NE

       Washington, D.C. 20002