Six months have passed since Kelowna mom and advocate Joelle “Joei” Wolf died suddenly on Sept. 22, 2023.
Her mom, Dorothy Zunti, is busy planning a celebration of life for June to remember her daughter.
Wolf is remembered by her mother as a kind child, instantly falling in love with nature.
“Joei’s always been a strong-willed little girl,” Zunti said.
From early on, Zunti remembers her daughter’s love of animals. She loved collecting insects when she was little, owned budgies in her childhood, and continued to care for the earth’s little creatures as she became an adult.
Wolf’s desire to care for the world around her really kicked in during the pandemic, Zunti said. The mom of four got involved in protests to promote vaccines and push the message that it’s not just to protect yourself, but also those around you.
From there, Wolf continued to use her voice to protest for men’s, women’s, and children’s rights. She was a mental health advocate and strongly believed in a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body. Wolf even included her kids at times.
“The reason she took her children to these things is to teach them to have a voice for what they believe in,” Zunti said.
Wolf loved her four children, and Zunti said her daughter’s maternal instincts kicked in quickly.
“She was the best mom to them,” Zunti explained, adding that Wolf made birthdays special with a stack of rainbow pancakes for the kids, something the grandmother hopes to continue now that Wolf is gone.
Wolf struggled with mental health challenges, but never let that stop her from being the best mom she could be. The advocate went back to school to receive her high school diploma and worked toward a certificate to become a doula, assisting others in bringing new life into the world.
Wolf’s celebration of life is scheduled for June 22. The morning will be for family and close friends, with the afternoon open for everyone who knew her at Zunti’s home on Rifle Road.
The day will be filled with sunflowers, Wolf’s favourite, and a painting station will be set up so anyone who wishes to can paint a stone in memory of Wolf.
Zunti is encouraging people to donate to the Canadian Mental Health Association in Kelowna in Wolf’s name to help continue the work she was doing before she died.
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