Bob and Joan Williston
Bob grew up in Vancouver, B.C. and began working for the archdiocese of Vancouver on a youth retreat team. As a teenager, Bob wrote Christian music, and used this music in his ministry to youth. Bob made his living as an entertainer/musician, and taught in a Catholic elementary school in Chilliwack. He and his wife, Joan began working full time on the Redemptorist mission team in 1978.
Bob completed a bachelor of arts with a major in philosophy in Winnipeg, and graduated from Newman Theological College (Edmonton) with his master of divinity degree in 1985. He was ordained to the permanent diaconate in September 1999. He has composed and recorded numerous tapes and CD’s.
Joan was born in Sarnia, ON, received Dip. Dental Hygiene from U of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry. Working and living in Toronto, she encountered the Redemptorists. In 1975, she moved west to seek her fortune, and says, “I found him in Vancouver. His name is Bob Williston!” In less than a year, they we were married, and moved to Edmonton to join the Redemptorist Mission Team. Together, they worked for 6 years travelling and preaching in western Canada. When children came along, Joan kept home fires burning while Bob continued on the Team. Marina was born in ’84, Daniel in ’86 and Bobby in ’89. Joan returned to school to relicense as a dental hygienist as her millennium project in 2000 and now works half time in a dental office, and the other half time, continues to train 2 boys to adulthood, care for her 90 yr. old mother-in-law, and support a couple of single parent families and a couple of immigrant families. Bob continues to minister through Redemptorist Parish Missions all across Canada and through his music.
