Jane “Marguerite” Russett
November 14, 1960 – August 2, 2020
The entire Russett family are broken hearted to announce the passing of our Daughter, Sister, Auntie, GrAuntie, and Friend, Jane Marguerite Russett on August 2, 2020 at the tender age of 59 years after a heroic battle with breast cancer. She peacefully passed with family by her side.
Jane Marguertie Russett was born two minutes after her twin sister, Joan, on November 14, 1960 in Renfrew, Ontario. Her father, Jim and mother, Betty already had two children at home, Laurie and Tom when the twins arrived. Within a year Susan was born giving the young Russett parents 5 children under the age of 5. The family moved to Odessa, Ontario a few years later and established a busy life of friends and family. In 1974 a special surprise came to the Russett family in their brother named Timothy. He was the apple of their eyes and Jane was especially fond of him. The twins as they became known as Skin “Jane” and Bones “Joan” were inseparable. Jane graduated from Ernestown Secondary school in 1979. She attended Loyalist College in Bellville, Ontario. Jane then moved west in 1980, to Alberta where she would spend the next six years before returning to Ontario to work in loss prevention for Loblaws. She worked in many areas of the province for 10 years, including Ottawa and Toronto before she got the urge to head west again. After moving to Calgary in 1996 and working for a period with a Loblaws subsidiary, she applied at an upstart airline and found her calling as a flight attendant for WestJet. Traveling the world meeting new people was her dream job. Jane loved to socialize and meet people wherever she went. She loved to travel and saw many parts of the world from Egypt, Ireland and Europe to China. Jane loved dogs including the many that were a part of her life, and for a period of time volunteered helping rescue and placing lost and troubled Border Collies. She loved her family most, arranging and attending gatherings whenever she could, she couldn’t get enough family time.
Jane is survived by her mother Mary (Betty) Russett (Ralph), siblings; Laurie Russett, Tom (Angie) Russett, Joan (Darcy) Miller, Susan (Kim) McRae, Tim (Erica) Russett, along with Nieces and Nephews; Curtis MacFarlane, Murray (Sarah) MacFarlane, Laurie (Sam) Fraser, Tommy Russett, Charles Russett, Shelby (Phil) Rankin, Brandon (Sorchae) Miller, Mikayla Bergquist/Russett, Madilyn Russett and Avery Russett. Jane also treasured her Great Nieces and Nephews, Cara Ruby Fraser, Max Fraser and Maverick Miller. Jane was predeceased by her loving father Thomas James (Jim) Russett in 2004.
The family would like to express sincere gratitude to Dr. Gloria along with the nurses and staff at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre for their remarkable kindness and care. We would also like to thank the Palliative Care team in Edmonton for their loving attention and guidance through this most difficult time. Jane impacted so many in her life and will be sadly missed, but never forgotten. Her kindness and love of people will be her lasting legacy. Due to the current pandemic and gathering restrictions, services will be scheduled to honor Jane when conditions are appropriate. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in Jane’s name to the Canadian Cancer Society . Online condolences may be expressed to the family through her memorial website at https://www.janerussett.com
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Tribute
A tribute from her Brother-In-Law
The last thing Jane wanted was for her friends and family to come together and be sad. In her final days we talked quite a bit about the need for all who she leaves behind to have the chance to gather, laugh and shed a few tears to remember the gift she was in all our lives. She wanted a celebration, not a sad event, but one with lots of joyful reflections of her experiences with each and everyone she touched. A very challenging proposition during this current pandemic, but an event that will happen at some point in the future.
It is difficult to really capture a life so full in just a few words.
There are lots of collectors in her family, her nephew collected action figures and Nerf guns, her one sister collects clothes…lots of clothes, others in her family collect empty bottles …… she collected….FRIENDS! Everywhere she went she made a new one, she was remarkably warm and invited everyone she met into her world, with an ear to ear smile! Her signature line was “Hi, my name is Jane, what’s yours”! Smiles would be returned, and a friendship had begun! Her love of all people made her somewhat vulnerable because she opened her heart and trusted everyone, but that was her beauty, trusting and all in!! Once on our travels we were stopped along the side of the road at construction and a young grumpy lad was the flag person holding up his stop sign! I heard from behind me “We should give him some of our banana bread!” “Na”, I said, “we don’t have time”, before I knew she was opening the door with a tin foiled paper plate handing the young fellow a feast of banana bread. I could see how his face lit up, and so did Jane’s, I kinda felt guilty for my comments, but saw the joy immediately that she brought to this young lad, and…she had a new friend!!
Jane was born on Nov 14, 1960 in Renfrew, Ontario pushing her twin sister out first, so anxious to get this life started! The twins were born within a couple of years, after Laurie and Tommer, then a year later Susan came along. Within four years, five kids filled Jim and Betty’s house in Renfrew! The family moved to Odessa (Kingston) a short while later and childhood memories were in abundance. Whether it was camping, fishing or snowmobiling, there was always something going on in the Russett household. I can only imagine how busy of a period that must have been, but the love was evident because anytime those memories where spoken, there was a glow of pride and reverence that flowed from her heart. Summers at Jefferies Lake and Hochie Min Trail come to mind as classic memories shared with all the special extended family. In July of 1974 a “miracle” brother was born making it six, he instantly became the apple of the family’s eye. I recall meeting Joan and Jane the first time, Timmer was all they talked about!
Jane moved west following the economic promises of the time with her new husband in 1980 and lived in BC and Alberta working several different jobs trying to establish a life. Her twin followed her west for just a short visit in 1981 and because of Jane, met the most incredible man ever, that Joan eventually married and remained in the west.
Jane & Dave split up and returned to Ontario in the mid 80’s where she completed more education in security and started a career in lost prevention with Loblaws. Her work with Loblaws took her all around Ontario from offices in Ottawa and Toronto where she built a network of friends that she still has to this day.
In 1996 after spending time with her twin’s family, who were visiting Ontario, Jane made a life changing decision to move back West! She coordinated with Loblaws and eventually ended up with a subsidiary in Calgary. She was so happy to be in the West, building her life in the land of milk and honey (and oil). A new opportunity was presented in 2000 when she, dressed in a clown costume, presented herself at the upstart airline “Westjet”!! Its as if this job was made especially for her, meeting new people constantly, she was acquiring new friends for her collection daily! Flying to destination hot spots like Thunder Bay and Regina, Westjet wasn’t exactly a global airline when she started, but it offered a key ingredient in Jungle Janes life….People!! It is special when you find something you love to do, most days she never even felt like she was working with Westjet. I don’t think it’s even possible to imagine how many lives Jane has touched, particularly with her flying the friendly teal skies!
All the while Jane was advancing her career and building her collection of friends, she maintained her focus on family and spending as much time as possible with all of them. She was constantly arranging gatherings with the more attending the better. Flying privileges allowed her to travel back to Ontario often, being around her favorite people in the world…family! She absolutely adores her Nieces and Nephews as if they were her own kids, only better because she can spoil them and be at their level without any responsibilities. It’s important to note that kids don’t just give away there love to anyone who asks, you have to earn that….she has invested time and love with each and every one of them. The dividend from her investment, is the profound love they all have for their Auntie!
She focused a lot of time on travel, seeing her favorite place in the world “Ireland” also visiting countries such as England and Scotland, Europe, China and Egypt. Westjet took her all over North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii! (I know Mexico is in North America!)
Jane dedicated a great deal of her time towards a dog rescue project in Alberta coordinating new homes for rescue Border Collies, even flying them around the country with Westjet. She absolutely adores dogs and they her. She has had several dogs in her life and one in particular was a rescue. Balue was a black and white border Collie with a such gentle disposition and warm heart, Jane considered him to be almost her child, she loved him beyond words.
In 2004, tragically the family lost the champion of the Russett clan, Jane’s father passed on June 5 of that year at young age of 66 years and it could only be described as devastating! Life would never be the same. As Jim would have wanted, she soldiered on and focused even more on living each day to the fullest.
Jane’s life was remarkable but not without challenges. Her open free spirit sometimes attracted less than honorable people in her life. In 2014, after her second husband broke a couple of her ribs the examination discovered the dreaded C word! In a matter of a couple of months, Jane had undergone surgery to remove the cancer. While undergoing treatment, her beloved dog, Balue, passed away and then her husband left her. It certainly was the lowest of low points for her. Talk about a resilient spirit! With the help of her family and treasured collection of friends she got through it, continuing to smile, occasionally venting, but mostly smiling! She completed her chemo treatments and, in the spring of 2015, rang the bell! Life was good!
In February of 2018 her doctor did some tests prior to Jane and Laurie visiting Maui and then California to get away from winter and enjoy family. Upon her return to Calgary on Tuesday March 6, 2018, we received a call from Jane that test results were in. The news was catastrophic, Stage 4,……..mere months!
With our heads spinning and eyes red and swollen we set out to follow Janes lead in making each moment count! We’ve all lost loved ones suddenly with the regretful prayer of one more conversation, one more visit! We collectively took the attitude to make sure nothing was left on the table, no stone unturned, no hug left undelivered!
We discovered that Jane is a Superhero, her secret weapon……. Compartmentalisation!! She was able to take the diagnosis and treatments and detach them from her day to day life. She smiled, laughed, joked and lost at “Ticket to Ride” with the same vigour, as if nothing was amiss. I’m sure there had to be something gnawing in the back of her mind, but she wouldn’t allow it to surface….ever!
We started planning every week to have something to look forward to, a wedding in Vancouver, Baby Maverick (we didn’t have any hand in that planning) and then a summer road trip to Ontario. Our trip in June/July 2018, in-between Doctor appointments, to Ontario was, as Jane put it, the greatest of her life!
130 friends and family visited, 12 chip trucks, 14 ice cream joints, one sacred holy water well, every day beaming with sunshine, life and love.
August in the Okanagan, September to Vancouver, October road trip to California. While in Oregon we were getting some vehicle service, she noticed a poster in a store bathroom showing the “Blue Pool”! “I would love to see that!” she told us,….”! Done, we’ll head there today”, we said. We visited covered bridges on our way to up Willamette National Forest! Sadly, the Trail to the Blue Pool was closed for maintenance, we instead made our way to McKenzie River Waterfalls and Clear Lake and had an incredible day even without the Blue Pool.
The winter of 2018/19 had Jane spending time between Calgary, Edmonton, and California. In the spring of 2019, on our way home from California we stopped again in Oregon and Jane was all over that “Blue Pool” again! We headed to the Willamette Forest again, this time it was open, but it turned out to be a lengthy hike to get to it. No matter, Jane was determined, over 7 km in and out took us to the Blue Pool. She was over the moon. Our feet and legs were aching and sore, and they weren’t rapped in bandages from chemo induced pealing skin. Not one complaint from Jane, just pure elation for finally getting to visit the spectacular vista! One caution I discovered hiking with the Russett girls was that provisions were not really conserved. I had to make sure my water and food were carefully consumed, because 10 minutes into the trip the twins had all theirs done!
Last summer initiated more restrictions, chemo treatments 3 times per month meant limited travel. But she thrived at the weekly visits lighting up everyone’s life at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. It’s hard to fathom, but the treatments gave her energy and purpose. We truly only realized that once the chemo was suspended and the lock down began.
During these last years, Jane has shown what it truly means to live. Without regret, without impedances, without hatred…….but with Dignity, with Love, with friends, with family and with Ice Cream. Life is finite, she knew that, we all want more, its human nature. It’s never the quantity of anything that counts it’s the quality and Jane has shown us what quality living is about. We are so blessed at so many levels that Jane has been a part of our life, she has shaped our lives in ways we can’t yet comprehend. Jane commented that even with the diagnosis, these past few years have been the BEST in her life! With exception of our hearts, Oregon is her new favorite place in the world! In some ways she worried about if and how she will be remembered. A silly worry from our point of view, as we know how she as touched us all, and her collection of friends will have her in their hearts through eternity.
This is a picture of Clear Lake in Oregon in October 2018, it is such a serene setting and I feel like it represents how life will be for all of us now. Life will continue to have Peaceful beauty, but if you look very closely, Jane is actually in the picture at the far end of the dock, as she will be for all us going forward. We just have to open our hearts, look closely and her spirit will be with us every day.
Jane lived a remarkable life, full of love and kindness that is not lost on the many who know her. She, like all of us wanted more time but she also knew:
To everything under the heavens there is a Season, a time to plant, a time to pluck, a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to be born and a time to die.
She was at peace knowing she will be going home…..to the tender arms of her father and family! She will continue to live on in her collection of souls that she has loved,……till we meet again. Sis
Que Sera Sera