Obituary for Josephine Maisie "Jo" Phenix
On Friday, October 7, 2022, Jo Phenix died peacefully at the Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Fergus Ontario with her best friend, devoted and loving husband of 33 years, Neville Worsnop at her side. She is survived by her mother Maisie Phenix (Sheffield England), her sister Penny (Terry), nieces Rebecca and Anna; her three stepsons Robert (Kristine), Christopher (Annie) and Martyn; grandchildren Michael (Crystal), Kayla (Keith), Mhairi and Euan; and great-grandchildren Shyaan, Trinity and Leo.
After teaching every grade from 1 to 13 in both England and Canada, Jo became well-known, internationally, as a workshop leader and keynote speaker. She taught special courses in language arts for provincial departments of education as well as for many universities. After several years with the Peel Board of Education as a teacher and consultant, in retirement Jo became a writer, consultant and speaker. She was also a Freeman of the City of London.
In recent decades, she immersed herself in theatre: writing scripts, particularly traditional English pantomimes, as well as designing and painting sets, directing, and producing. She was Co-founder, together with her husband, of the Erin Arts Foundation Inc and of the Century Theatre Guild, based at Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh. She recently retired as President of the Erin Arts Foundation Inc. after 20 years of service and for her contributions she was awarded with the title of President Emerita.
Her dedication and love of education and theatre, her organization, concentration, inventiveness, and most of all her sense of humour, will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She was fond of joking with her theatre friends by saying: “Team Effort – a lot of people doing what I say”.
Jo enjoyed and excelled at baking bread and was an incredible gardener. She also enjoyed travelling the world and golfing whenever there was time. Her best-ever score was at the Polo Club in Louisville, Kentucky but she was never invited back.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Groves Memorial Community Hospital, particularly Dr. Chris Lund, Karen and Sharon of the Oncology unit for their outstandingly professional and sensitive care over the last 10 months.
To comply with Jo’s wishes there will be no funeral, but a Celebration of Life will be announced in the coming months to be held at the Century Church Theatre, Hillsburgh.
Donations may be made in Jo’s memory to: Groves Memorial Community Hospital, Fergus, or the Erin Arts Foundation Inc.
After teaching every grade from 1 to 13 in both England and Canada, Jo became well-known, internationally, as a workshop leader and keynote speaker. She taught special courses in language arts for provincial departments of education as well as for many universities. After several years with the Peel Board of Education as a teacher and consultant, in retirement Jo became a writer, consultant and speaker. She was also a Freeman of the City of London.
In recent decades, she immersed herself in theatre: writing scripts, particularly traditional English pantomimes, as well as designing and painting sets, directing, and producing. She was Co-founder, together with her husband, of the Erin Arts Foundation Inc and of the Century Theatre Guild, based at Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh. She recently retired as President of the Erin Arts Foundation Inc. after 20 years of service and for her contributions she was awarded with the title of President Emerita.
Her dedication and love of education and theatre, her organization, concentration, inventiveness, and most of all her sense of humour, will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She was fond of joking with her theatre friends by saying: “Team Effort – a lot of people doing what I say”.
Jo enjoyed and excelled at baking bread and was an incredible gardener. She also enjoyed travelling the world and golfing whenever there was time. Her best-ever score was at the Polo Club in Louisville, Kentucky but she was never invited back.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Groves Memorial Community Hospital, particularly Dr. Chris Lund, Karen and Sharon of the Oncology unit for their outstandingly professional and sensitive care over the last 10 months.
To comply with Jo’s wishes there will be no funeral, but a Celebration of Life will be announced in the coming months to be held at the Century Church Theatre, Hillsburgh.
Donations may be made in Jo’s memory to: Groves Memorial Community Hospital, Fergus, or the Erin Arts Foundation Inc.