Joan Orser-Roberts was born on Nov. 12, 1935 in Montreal and graduated from McGill in 1956 with a bachelor's of science degree in physical education.
She competed on the McGill swim team and made a name for herself in synchronized swimming, where she was a three-time intercollegiate champion in the solo routine. From 1951 to 1953, she was also a three-time winner of the Gale Trophy as Canadian synchro champion.
At the American Athletics Union national competition in 1952, Orser-Roberts placed seventh overall. In 1952, she performed her solo routine as an exhibition sport at the Helsinki Olympics. Two years later, she performed her routine at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver.
She was active in numerous intramural sports, was on the modern dance club in 1954 and served as a co-director of the annual McGill Watershow in 1955.
Orser-Roberts had an active administrative career after her swimming days were over. In the 1980s, she acted as meet manager at the national synchro swim championships in Toronto. From 1994 to 1998, she served four years as president of Synchro Canada. In 1999, she received the Synchro Canada Board of Directors Outstanding Achievement Award.
