Joanne Marcia (Vickers) Semaan

Joanne Marcia (Vickers) Semaan, Florence, Nova Scotia

It is with heavy hearts and the deepest sadness that we, the family, announce the passing of Joanne Semaan, age 70, at Northside General Hospital on March 25th, 2026, after a courageous battle with a glioblastoma — faced, as those who knew her would expect, with a smile on her face and laughter in her heart.

Born on July 10th, 1955 in Little Bras d'Or, she was the daughter of the late Harold and Wilma (Stapleton) Vickers.

She will be sadly missed by sons Pierre and Timothy Semaan; her favorite — and only — sister Lori (Glenn) Leblanc; brothers Hal (Virginia), Art (Alanna), Andy (Debbie), John (Claudette); Granddogs Chewy and Phil — who she loved unconditionally — nieces and nephews Mallory and Mark Leblanc, Timmy (Heather), Jody (Cora), Melanie, Holly Vickers, Amanda, and Jennifer; special cousin Ruth (Young) Boudreau; neighbours Linda and Wayne Rendell, and Jamie and Brenda Power; dear friends Ruthann, Anna, and Beulah; and the children of Eddie and Mary Stapleton.

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by brother Timothy and sister Valerie in infancy, and Granddogs Bruschi and Laila, who she is no doubt already spoiling. 

Joanne loved playing cards and board games — though "loved" may be understating how seriously she took them. She was an avid puzzler, a talented seamstress who could fix, hem, or fashion just about anything — and was never shy about offering to do so when she spotted something that needed it — a well-known baker, and a passionate traveler, all of which led to careers she truly loved: first on the Great Lakes, then opening a bakery with friends Linda and Ardina so she could be closer to her mom and her boys. She finished her career with Marine Atlantic, collecting friends the way most people collect fridge magnets.

Joanne never missed a chance to hit the road. The joke was that she covered more miles with Sis than the yellow dividing paint. Her travels took her as far as Charlotte, North Carolina — a trip she thoroughly enjoyed, and which Pierre will never be allowed to forget, as it was also the occasion of what can only be described as the longest Easter Vigil in recorded human history. Her visits to Halifax — and later Moncton — were always offered under the noble guise of dogsitting, though everyone knew the real destination was Costco, where she would personally inspect every single item on the premises.

We are all going to miss her smile, and that infectious laugh that would inevitably build until it rendered her completely, gloriously useless.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Wissam Saliba, cancer patient navigator Patricia Burke, and all of the nurses and staff at Cape Breton Regional Hospital, who were always ready with an answer and never made her feel like a bother. The family also wishes to thank Dr. William MacDonald and Linda for their continued care and support. A special thanks to Angie, Tara, Cathy, Vera, and all of the angels at the County Homemakers, who had a gift for making her laugh every single morning — no small thing. The family is also deeply grateful to the staff of the VON and Meals on Wheels, whose kindness and care made an immeasurable difference.

A visitation for Joanne will be held Monday March 30th,2026 from 3-6 pm in JM Jobes Funeral Home, Sydney Mines . A funeral mass to celebrate her life will be held on Tuesday March 31st, 2026 at 10:30 am in St. Joseph’s Church, Bras d’Or , reception to follow in Bras d’Or Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joanne's name may be made to the Haley Street Society, or to a dog rescue of your choice — a fitting tribute to a woman who had endless love for every rescued granddog lucky enough to find their way into her life.

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