Joan Browne

Joan Browne was born and raised in Norval at 10 Noble Street, a property recently Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. This home saw its share of Veterans, as both of Joan’s brothers, Gordon and Douglas served in WW2 and Korea respectively. Joan attended Norval Public School and Georgetown District School. Her father, William Gordon Browne owned the Norval Flour and Grist Mill.

In 1943 at age 18, Joan enlisted with the Canadian Women’s Army Corp and served until 1946. While stationed in Ottawa she was part of the research team headed by Dr. Arthur Riley Armstrong, a respected scientist and associate of Frederick Banting. Corporal Joan Browne worked on many Top Secret wartime projects, the details of which were only made public in 1995.

Following the war Joan married Ormie Carter (also a Norval Veteran) on February 23, 1946 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Norval. The couple raised five children in the village. Joan managed the Norval Post Office for 31 years, a place where she recounted Norval’s history and folklore to local residents. In 1996, Joan published a book entitled “Norval History 1820-1950”, which has never been out of print.

Joan felt deeply of the sacrifices made by the men and women who fought for our Country in the Great War and Second World War. Her Canadian Army uniform was donated to the Lorne Scots Museum located in Brampton.

Joan is buried with Ormie in Hillcrest Cemetery, in Norval.

Truly a Canadian Hero. *Submitted to Homes of Heroes Halton Hills by Kathy Gastle

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