BROWN: Joan Brown (née Shortell) will be remembered as a generous and fun-loving wife and mother who loved her family and friends with her whole heart. Joan grew up in Lloydminster as part of a family with deep ties to the community. Her maternal grandfather was Dr. G. L. Cooke, one of the first doctors in Lloydminster and the namesake of the Dr. Cooke Nursing Home. Her paternal grandfather owned Shortell’s Hardware, where her father, Arthur Shortell, also worked before following his dream of establishing Broadcast Centre (CKSA Radio in 1957, CKSA TV in 1960, and CITL TV in 1976). Joan’s mother, Mary Shortell, became President of Broadcast Centre in 1976 after Arthur’s passing and provided strong leadership for more than 20 years. Joan inherited her “tell it like it is” attitude from her mother, Mary. Joan met the love of her life, Graham Brown, when she was 17 years old, and they celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary in September 2025. They kept their romance strong after high school, even when Joan moved to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta Nursing Program. Just a few weeks after graduating in 1973, Joan and Graham were married and began their life together in Red Deer, where Joan worked as a nurse at Red Deer General Hospital. In 1976, they moved to Lloydminster to be part of the family business at Broadcast Centre. Joan’s true passion throughout her life was being a mother to her two daughters, Michelle and Leslie. She later became a mother-in-law to their spouses, Michael and Darren, and a proud grandmother to her six grandchildren, Arya, Aiden, Celeste, Kael, Marlie, and Garnet. Joan always encouraged her loved ones to pursue further education and supported those who faced challenges in accessing it. In 2008, she established the Shortell Scholarship at Lakeland College to provide financial assistance to a student achieving academic excellence while working toward a business degree. In 2000, Joan’s dream of owning a family cabin came true. After completing renovations, another activity she enjoyed, “Joanie’s Cabin” at Turtle Lake was ready. It included a room dedicated to grandchildren who had not yet been born. Her philosophy was simple: if she built it, the grandchildren would come. They did over the next 13 years. Joan and Graham retired in their early 50s and spent their retirement traveling to Palm Springs and enjoying time with family and friends at Turtle Lake. Joan was an early adopter of the adult coloring trend, much to the delight of her grandchildren, who eagerly looked forward to coloring with her because she always had the best coloring books and markers. Joan’s grandchildren also loved to shop with her and when they found something cool she often exclaimed “That’s a taker!” Joan, also known as Joanie, has left a deep imprint on the hearts of her family and friends that will never be forgotten. Although this is goodbye, we will always carry her with us. Graham, always with a twinkle in his eye, is waiting for his beloved Joanie. Joan is survived by: her daughters, Michelle (Michael) McNally and Leslie (Darren) Cey; and grandchildren, Arya, Aiden and Celeste, Kael, Marlie and Garnet. Joan is predeceased by: her loving husband, Graham Brown; father, Arthur Shortell; mother, Mary Shortell; and sister, Jane Ruptash. The Graveside Service for Joan will be conducted from Lloydminster City Cemetery, Lloydminster, SK on Friday, May 22, 2026 at 1:00 PM at Columbarium 3. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to donor’s charity of choice in memory of Joan. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster, Alberta administered the funeral arrangements.
CARD OF THANKS The Brown family would like to thank all those who showed their support.
