February 25, 2019

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Jane Mitchell at the age of 74. She is survived by husband, Dale, son Allan, daughter Allana (Edward) and granddaughter Ainsley. Jane also leaves behind her brother Jim (Theresa), sister Geraldine (Gerry) and sister-in-law, Bea back east, along with numerous nieces and nephews and second-son Wayne, all of whom she loved dearly. She is pre-deceased by parents Mary Jane and James Davis; brothers Jack OMI, and Bryan; sisters Margaret, Barbara and Anne, and brothers-in-law, Charles, Ron and Gerry.

Jane was born the youngest of eight in Val d’Or, Quebec on December 25, 1944. A Christmas baby that loved the season and always got ‘double the presents’ and made it such a special one for her children and later on, granddaughter. She had a deep love for children and was an integral part of her nieces and nephews lives by helping care for them and loving them as her own. Her oldest niece was born when Jane was just 12 and she was known as ‘Matante Sandwich’ to Suzie, Barbara, Charles and Allan Massicotte. Suzie and Barbara have fond memories of Jane getting ready to go out and when she started dating her husband to be, Dale. They would watch attentively as Jane would get ready in the latest fashion. Jane’s love for clothes, matching outfits and coordinating jewelry carried on throughout her life. Goddaughter Barbara would like to add that Matante Jane’s cooking vastly improved over the years and you could always ‘eat up and give the house a good name’ at Jane and Dale’s.

Jane and Dale were married by her brother Jack, OMI, in Val d’Or, Quebec on June 26, 1970. In 1972 shortly after the birth of Allan, Jane began the first of the family’s two moves around the continent. Jane met Dale in Nicaragua, and spent nearly two years there, moving back in preparation for the birth of their daughter Allana. This began Jane’s lifelong passion for sun-worshiping. In 1979, Jane along with two children in tow made the second of their large moves to be with Dale, who moved to Kamloops in 1979 when he began working for Afton Mines. Jane’s other travels included visiting her family back east in Montreal, Ottawa, Rouyn-Noranda, Val d’Or and California. Jane also visited her daughter Allana in 2006 when she worked in Switzerland and they traveled together to Rome, Florence and Venice and her absolute highlight, Paris.

Jane loved children, as her many years of teaching at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School and St Ann’s Academy can attest. There were a number of teachers that would entrust only Jane to substitute for them. Upon retiring from teaching, Jane worked in childcare at the Boys and Girls Club at Kay Bingham Elementary School from November 2005 – June 2014 where she touched numerous parents and children’s lives. Between Jane’s teaching and work at the Boys and Girls Club, she volunteered at the Alzheimer’s Society of BC, to better understand the disease that afflicted two of her siblings.

Before Jane became a Grandma in 2015, she was grandmother to her beloved basset hounds and became an avid collector of anything basset hound related. The brightest star in Jane’s life, however, is granddaughter Ainsley. Jane loved taking care of Ainsley and having her over for sleepovers. Mom was a generous, loving, feisty, sociable woman that loved to have fun. She enjoyed a glass of wine with her nieces and on special occasions with her family and always had room for dessert.

Jane delighted in a good chitchat session with family, friends and her children’s friends. Allan’s classmates looked forward to when Jane taught them since she loved gossiping with the girls. Jane enjoyed going out and socializing and was only held back because she never learned how to drive. Jane loved shopping and could out-shop anyone. Jane enjoyed having new sheets, towels, nighties and housecoats, clothes and jewelry. Jane also enjoyed reading and watching ‘The Young and the Restless’ and washing and ironing clothes. Jane also had a knack for remembering dates of important life events of those she loved and always found the most perfectly written card to mark the occasion.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the doctors and nurses that looked after Jane in the ICU at Royal Inland Hospital. Thank you for your mindful care and support.

A funeral mass for Jane will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 635 Tranquille Road on Saturday, March 9th, 2019 at 11:00 with a small gathering at the Parish Centre afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Society, The Canadian Cancer Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation, three charities that were dear to Jane.

Condolences may be expressed at www.myalternatives.ca

• Date : 2019-03-04
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.