Grice, Janet Isobel

Janet Isobel Grice  1927-2021
Written by ECA Review

Janet Isobel Grice 
1927-2021

Janet was born on Jan. 20, 1927 to parents William and Jeanie Lyon in The Pas, Man. 

Growing up in the north with three sisters, Helen was the elder with Billie and Pat her younger twin sisters, was a lifestyle that would provide experience that would serve her well all her life. 

She learned many skills such as gardening, canning, sewing and knitting as well as helping her dad in his woodworking/construction business. 

Janet was the tomboy in the family.

Janet left school early at the age of 15 and began working in a bank making her way from messenger (because messages were hand-delivered throughout the town), to clerk/cashier. She was always amazing at math, adding columns of numbers in her head.

Janet met Alan Grice and they enjoyed many of the same things. Dancing, badminton and playing cribbage were things they loved to do together. 

They married on Aug. 19, 1948 and began a family early in their marriage. Gordon was born in June of 1949, Glenis in September of 1956, Bob in January 1958 and Kevin in September of 1960.

In 1951 they moved even farther north and settled into the mining community of Lynn Lake, Man. Their first house had plywood walls and a canvas roof. Needless to say it took a lot of chopped wood to keep warm during the 60 below weather that was all too common north of the 56th parallel. 

They followed the mining community all of their working lives moving to Frazer Lake B.C in 1966 and Hinton, Alta. in 1969.

Family holidays were often spent travelling to visit extended family in The Pas, Winnipeg and Vernon B.C. with a couple of forays into the U.S.

Janet and Alan enjoyed travelling and visited Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji after they retired.

During retirement, Janet and Alan kept busy gardening and taking homemade jams and jellies to farmers’ markets. 

Janet knitted toques; Alan made the pom-poms which they sold or gave to the grandkids. She also sewed her own design of purses and lovingly became known as “The Bag Lady”.

Even during their retirement, they loved to move, living in High River, Alix, Hinton (again), Jasper, Wetaskiwin and New Norway and after Alan passed away she stayed involved with the Seniors Centre until she moved to the Paintearth Lodge in Castor, Alta. 

The children often joked that our heritage must include some Gypsy genetics.

Janet and Alan were always firm believers in Christianity and church membership was important.

Later on in life they made an even deeper commitment to serving Jesus and held home Bible studies for years, touching the lives of many people.

After a short struggle with dementia and severe arthritis in her back, Janet passed away peacefully on Mon, March 29, in the evening.

Janet was predeceased by her parents William and Jeanie Lyon, her husband Alan, sisters Helen Bacon and Pat Ambrose; brothers-in-law Clyde Ambrose, Jim Kneale, Art Beer and Chris Schmidt. Also sisters-in-law Roddy Schmidt, Edna Dobson and Evelyn Beer.

Janet is survived by children Gordon (Pat) Grice, Glenis Gautier, Bob (Kathy) Grice and Kevin Grice. 

Also by her grandchildren Clayton (Suzanne) Grice, Sheldon (Erika) Grice,  Angela Gauthier, Angie (Quinn), Heather Grice and Robyn (Dave) and numerous great-grandchildren.

After a private family graveside service in Wetaskiwin, Alta. Janet’s remains will be interred in her beloved Alan’s grave.

Family and friends may make donations to the charity of their choice in memory of Janet.

Card of Thanks

The Grice families would like to thank everyone at DSL, Coronation and the Extended Care Residence at Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital in Castor on behalf of Janet Grice for the excellent care that she received.

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