Joan (Saunders) Sweanor
April 22, 1919 – April 29, 2015
Joan, an auburn-haired, blue-green eyed beauty, was born 22 April 1919, to William Saunders – a wounded WWI veteran of the Royal Horse Artillery, and Annie Hewitt, a loving woman possessing both empathy and common-sense, in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. She was their only child. Together the family operated a milk-cow and cart-horse delivery business. As she grew up, Joan taught herself to be an exceptional seamstress, tailoring her own clothing. During WWII she worked for Lougheed, Berg, and Beck, a company that manufactured equipment for the Royal Navy. Her office was strafed by the Luftwaffe one morning just before she arrived for work. Luck remained with her, and during the war she met George Sweanor, of the Royal Canadian Air Force, in 1942. They married in 1943. She and George lived in eleven locations throughout the UK and Canada, where five daughters eventually joined them: Barbara, Diane, Valerie, Patricia, and Linda. In 1963, the RCAF transferred George with his family to Colorado Springs from St. Hubert, Quebec, where George worked for NORAD. Both fell in love with Colorado Springs and after George’s retirement remained to spend their last 52 years here.
Over the years Joan enjoyed gardening, painting landscapes, designing and sewing clothes for herself and her daughters, preserving jams, and volunteering for Silver Key. She and George traveled throughout Europe and North America, sometimes with their daughters and families. Joan’s compassion was exemplified by the way she took in, and then cared and found homes for, stray cats that frequented the neighborhood. She was a strong and resilient woman, surviving battles with heart disease and cancer. She leaves a husband of 72 years, 5 daughters, 6 grandchildren, one great granddaughter, and cousin John Hewitt in England.
A celebration of Joan’s life will be held in June when all family members and friends can get together. Please contact family members for information. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s memory can be made to the Wild Felid Research and Management Association at www.wildfelid.org or a charity of your choice.