Janet Church

Janet Eileen Church

After courageously fighting stage 4 ovarian cancer for five years, Janet Eileen Church passed away in the Swan River Hospital on November 7, 2019 and went to be with Jesus. She was 61 years of age.

Janet was born in Victoria, BC on October 7, 1958 to George and Josephine (nee French) DeWinter, the second of six children. She was a proud Metis woman who descended from two families, the Fergusons and Callious, each of whom played vital roles in building large Metis communities in Alberta.

On December 16, 1977 Janet married Wayne Church in Calgary, AB. They were together for a total of forty-five years and had four children. Shortly after getting married, they moved to Swan River, MB and then went on to Sexsmith, AB where her husband attended Peace River Bible Institute. During this time, she received a degree in Putting Hubby Through (P.H.T.).  Janet served Christ as a pastor’s wife in Sorrento, B.C. and Swan River, M.B; committing years of her time volunteering in AWANA and women’s ministries, teaching Sunday school, and building relationships with members of the congregation through visitations, potluck lunches, crafting, and many other labours of love.

Janet worked as an Educational Assistant for the Swan Valley School Division for thirty years. She loved working with children and is remembered throughout the Valley as being a devoted and caring member of each school she worked in. She was very involved in the communities she lived in and volunteered yearly at the Minitonas Fruit Festival Fundraiser and was a member of the Minitonas Garden Club.

Her hobbies were gardening, canning, baking, reading, walking, going for coffee and being outdoors. Her green thumb was legendary. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and educator. She showed her family and friends love by keeping everyone fed and she kept her relations who lived far away close by sending letters and packages. Her cheesecake was even famous in Seoul, South Korea and was known as Grandma Canada’s Cheesecake.

An evening visitation was held on Saturday, November 9 at Paull’s Funeral Home. The funeral service was held on Sunday, November 10 at the Living Word Tabernacle. Pastor Ralph Beottcher officiated both the evening visitation and funeral service. The eulogy was given by her husband, Wayne Church, and a message from the Swan Valley School Division was given by the principal of Minitonas School, Mark Simpson. The service celebrated Janet’s life and her triumphant reunion with the Lord her God. She was so loved by the community that the auditorium was filled to full capacity. Janet’s body was laid to rest in the Birchwood Cemetery, Swan River. Her cenotaph has three words which describe her: exceptional, exemplary, beloved.

Left to mourn are her husband Wayne Church; daughter Fauna (Shane Lee), children Jayden and Jacob Lee; son Conan (Stephanie Paul), child Wilhem Church; daughter Amanda (Christopher Kellough), child Isla Kellough; daughter Leah (Brian Davis), children Billi-Joe, Georgia, and Brian Junior Davis. As well, her brothers and sisters Deborah (Victor) Matthews, William DeWinter, Allison DeWinter (Barb Rafuse) and Keitha DeWinter (Marcel Cyr). Janet was predeceased by both her parents and her brother, Roy DeWinter.

Pallbearers were Minitonas School colleagues Cory Grandfield, Mark Simpson, Mark Matejka, Max Hart, Len Woitowicz and nephew Jason Bell.

If friends so desire, donations can be made to the Swan Valley School Division or the Minitonas School in the name of the Janet Church Memorial Fund.

Evening Visitation

Saturday, November 9th, 2019 at 7:00 PM

Chapel of Paull Funeral Home,

 Swan River, Manitoba

Funeral Service

Sunday, November 10th, 2019 at 3:00 PM

 Living Word Tabernacle, Swan River,

Manitoba.

Officiating

Pastor Ralph Beottcher

Resting Place

Following the service, Janet was

laid to rest in the Birchwood Cemetery,

Swan River, Manitoba