Obituary of Jo L. Sargent

On Monday, October 26, 2020, Jo SARGENT (née Rushby, Scopp) passed quietly from this world at 79 years of age, finally finding peace from her lifelong battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

Beloved wife for 61 years of Terry, she will be missed by her children Phillip (Judith) and Chris (Tammy), her grandchildren Victoria (Mikel), Alexandra and Chloe, her father Alfie and her extended family of brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, her many friends, and the community which she loved and served.

Her tireless advocacy for disability rights and seeking a cure for MS made her a well-known face in the community. Her caring and gracious attitude were hallmarks of her presence that made an impact on everyone she met. A resident of Markham’s Mount Joy for almost 60 years, she was a volunteer with the Markham Museum and member of the Historical Society for many years. An active member of the MS Society and named the York East Chapter’s “Person of the Year” in 1995,  they knew her as “a firecracker” and called her “their Warrior”. She was a life-long supporter of the Markham Theatre which she loved since its opening, and frequently shared stories of her adventures around the performances and the joy she took from them.

Our family extends our thanks to the team at Markham Stouffville Hospital’s palliative care ward for their compassion and understanding, and how we all smiled and laughed in disbelief as she rallied one last time to return home. We also want to express our gratitude to the staff at Chartwell Woodhaven who have supported her in so many ways throughout the past 4 years and who honoured her departure with an honour guard of caregivers.

By her express wish, a memorial service will not be held.

Donations in her memory would be appreciated to the MS Society (https://mssociety.donorportal.ca – email to Jo.Sargent@sympatico.ca).

A virtual book of condolences can be signed at www.dixongarland.com.

Sleep well Mom; we love you.