JANICE PERRY

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JANICE PERRY Janice Aileen McLeod Jeffries Perry passed away peacefully on May 10, 2015 (Mother's Day) at 88 years of age, with some of her children by her side. She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Rev. Jim Perry, her parents Dr. Drew Jeffries and Marjorie Jeffries, and her sister, Mary Jane Curry. She is survived and mourned by her brother John Jeffries, her six children: Drew (Val), Daryl (Heather Frayne), David (Kathy McDevitt), Marilyn (Chris Crosthwaite), Dean, Doug (Leah); her eleven grandchildren (Megan Sobie, Adam Perry, Tim Perry, Jesse Perry, Joshua Crosthwaite, Jordan Crosthwaite, Karen Crosthwaite, Sierra Perry, Tiana Perry, Hunter Perry and Jackson Perry); her two great grandchildren (Audrey Sobie and Adele Sobie); and many nieces and nephews. Janice was born in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, on April 8, 1927, the oldest daughter of the town's only dentist. Her mother was a nurse who had been the first person to graduate from Nursing while deaf. Growing up, Janice loved the boating and swimming life that came with living on a clear northern lake. She came to Winnipeg to finish high school at United College, and then completed her Bachelor of Home Economics degree at the University of Manitoba. During her university years she met the handsome young United Church theology student, Jim Perry, from Estevan, Saskatchewan, and they were married at Riverview United Church in Winnipeg in May 1949, the month after she graduated. They were a striking couple. Many churches and children followed in rapid succession as the family grew and moved to different towns or cities across Canada every 3-6 years. They lived successively in Winnipeg; Carberry, Manitoba; Red Lake, Ontario; a one year detour to New York for Jim's graduate studies; Ottawa; Winnipeg again; Mississauga; North Vancouver; Mississauga again; Calgary; High River; and then back to Winnipeg - where they remained. Janice and Jim made close friends in all the places they lived, and kept in regular contact with many of them for years after moving on to another part the country. Christmas cards numbered in the hundreds. Summer holidays were spent camping in a series of tents and trailers, while visiting family and friends in all parts of the country. After retirement they also enjoyed leading some tours together to the Holy Land and Europe. Janice devoted her life to her children and family. She was a consummate homemaker, and was always a whirlwind of cooking, sewing, knitting, and all the other activities needed to keep a household of six children running smoothly. She also taught sewing and millinery in evening classes. She was involved in all the United Churches to which Jim was called, serving diligently as the minister's wife. She balanced these duties with a strong desire to have her own identity apart from family and minister's wife. She was an influential and generous woman who lived energetically and with purpose. Since friends and family members had called her "Jay" since she was young, she became known affectionately as "Blue Jay" to some of the children and grandchildren. In later life she took up golf and delighted in occasionally beating Jim at the game he had played all his life. She finally taught him to play bridge, one of her favourite games. She and Jim loved to ski, and they introduced the sport to all their children, several of whom became accomplished skiers and instructors. All of her six children learned the life skills from their parents that they developed into careers or passions: skiing, love of nature, music, art, photography, and helping others. When Janice and Jim returned to live in Winnipeg in 1999 after he fully retired from ministry, they came back to the city where their life together had begun more than fifty years earlier. They continued to golf and camp into their early 80's, and to warmly welcome family members and friends for memorable visits and dinners. After Jim's health faltered they had to live apart briefly for the first time since 1949, but before long they both came to reside at Riverview Health Centre -- just a few blocks from the church where they had been married. Janice remained there after Jim passed away in June 2012. As a person who had been active constantly all her life, with a drive to keep moving and doing new things, the last few years of increasingly limited memory, speech and mobility were difficult ones for her. For the care provided during this time the family wishes to thank the many dedicated staff on CD 3 at Riverview Health Centre for all the support and attention to her needs. We are also forever grateful to Annette and her staff at Heart and Soul Senior Services who provided Janice with much appreciated care and companionship. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held on June 24, 2015, with details to follow. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: May 16, 2015

JANICE PERRY Peacefully, on Sunday, May 10, 2015, with family by her side, Janice Perry passed away at Riverview Health Centre, at the age of 88 years. Longer notice to follow. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: May 12, 2015

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 16, 2015