Sharon and Ron Wrathall (Friend)

Entered October 4, 2020

We loved Joan. She was a special friend since the first day we met her. We cling to the many wonderful times we enjoyed with her.

Maureen Dugo (Close friend)

Entered October 4, 2020 from ST CATHARINES

Joanie was an extraordinary woman who practised her deep faith everyday with her kind & caring way. She was an exemplary teacher, a mentor to so many. As a friend, you could have no better. Joanie was loving, loyal, so much fun to be with.
We are blessed to have had her in our lives.
Sandra your loving care of Joanie has been amazing. She is looking down smiling at you.
Joanie ... a life lived well ... a life well lived! Rest in peace dear friend.

Chris & Lisa Goddard (Teaching colleague)

Entered October 4, 2020 from Oakville

Upon this day sadness in our hearts...For Joanie

In the silence, no voice do we hear,
No sounds of laughter, emptiness' feared,
No smile is found, no song in our hearts,
A loss in our family, one has embarked,
A journey for one soul one special woman,
She gave to others, a helping hand,
A gentle woman, whose hearts desired,
Joanie reached new heights, in others she inspired,
We all knew it, we know she cared,
The love in her heart is something she shared.
Those who marvelled, life that she earned,
What time she shared, lessons we learned
A sister and aunt, niece and friend,
Inquisitive and spiritual, to the very end,
With prayer comes victory, strength comes will,
Patience's comes virtue, in time comes skill,
Though cold and snow wind and rain,
The rite of passage she never complained,
Memories and faces old places she'd been,
Photographs now cherished something to be seen,
For family and friends, all who gathered near,
Remember her spirit it still lingers here.

(Chris & Lisa Goddard) silverghost 10-3-2020

Anne Hudson (Friend and former colleague)

Entered October 5, 2020 from New Zealand

I only taught as a colleague of Joan for a brief 4 years at Loyola...but, our friendship continued long afterwards. (36 years and counting!) I l now live on the other side of the world ( in NZ) but the friendships I made with Queen Gulline and other Loyolans have been amongst the most special in my life. Thank you, dear Joanie, for humoring me and telling ' the candle story' to a whole new sub set of adoring fans. May you rest in peace, dear friend!

David Joly (Colleague)

Entered October 5, 2020 from Ridgeway, Ontario

Joan always wanted her students to get the most of their God-given talents. She was an integral part of that Loyola staff. She will be greatly missed.

After a trip to Ottawa and another to Quebec City my parent's said that I should feel free to sign up for any school trip that comes up. They didn't know Miss Gulline was planning a trip to Greece; I signed up! My first passport, my first trip abroad; Miss Gulline and 5 grade 10 boys from Loyola, partnered up with other Catholic school students and teachers from across the GTA. I remember 2 rules: never leave any of the female students from Toronto alone in Athens and always get back to the hotel by the curfew of 11:30pm (there were probably more rules but those are the only ones I remember).

It was probably mid-way through a 9 day trip and I went to a nightclub with one of the girls from a school in Scarborough. We were having a lot of fun, so much fun that she didn't want to leave the nightclub so I could get back for curfew. I was facing the first real dilemma of my life. I decided to break the curfew rule, but about 45 minutes of nagging she agreed to return to the hotel.

When I got back around 1am, I walked through the lobby and Miss Gulline wasn't there so I thought I'd dodged a bullet. As I walked up the staircase off the hotel lobby towards my room I could hear footsteps coming down the same staircase. Miss Gulline was combing the hotel looking for me - I thought she was angry but now that I'm older it was probably worry, verging on panic and fear. I started to cry and told her that I was sorry for being late but that I wasn't supposed to leave any of the girls alone. She gave me a hug and told me I'd made the right decision - that was it, done. We joked about it a few times over the years when we saw each other.

Now that I'm older, older than she was at the time of that trip to Greece, I can't imagine the stress Miss Gulline must have felt in that 90 minutes I was "missing". That was her first trip with students abroad, yet still, year after year, she organized trips abroad and took responsibility for all of those students and had the trust of our parents. That speaks volumes about her passion for teaching, travel and sharing that with other people and generations.

Miss Gulline - an absolute legend with an incredible legacy!

(I'll miss you)