Jane Deacon Hanson

Jane Deacon Hanson (nee McConnell) was born on June 14, 1941 in Toronto to Norah Deacon and Robert McConnell. Her life started in tragedy when her mother died shortly after her birth and her father away serving in the US Navy. Happily, she spent her youngest years with her maternal grandmother, Grandma Deacon, as she was affectionately known to her many grandchildren. When the war ended and her father returned, Jane became the middle child and only daughter, between her two older brothers, Robert and Frank, and two younger ones, John and Peter born to her stepmother, Eleanor. Jane attended Whitney Public School, Branksome Hall before graduating from the Ontario Ladies College (now Trafalgar Castle School).

Jane loved spending summers at the family cottage on Hemlock Island in the Thousand Islands, rowing or sailing between islands to visit friends, as well as time at the farm in Claremont, riding horses and helping in the sugar bush each spring.

She found her calling as a nurse, training at Women's College Hospital and kept up her credentials throughout most of her life, going back to work at different times in doctors' offices and nursing homes. Her class of nursing sisters always kept in touch throughout the years and she never missed a reunion.

Jane married the love of her life, Robert Hanson in 1962 and began their life together in Toronto where Telfer was born before moving to Montreal and welcoming Scott & Kyra to the family. When they moved back to Toronto, the family built a cabin at Osler Bluff where they spent winter weekends and summer holidays. When Rob became president of the Canadian Ski Patrol, Jane drove the kids back and forth across the country several times, camping in a Ford Econoline van while Rob flew to meet them in different cities for Ski Patrol conventions.

Jane always said she had 99 first cousins on her mother's side and she was the one who helped bring most of them together for the annual Deacon Christmas party where everyone gathered to catch up and sing carols. She kept track of each new baby and welcomed everyone including boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives to the clan with a colour-coded nametag denoting which branch of the family tree they were now a part of. She will be lovingly remembered by her many nieces, nephews and cousins of all generations.

Jane made hosting masses of friends at Osler and the cottage on Stave Island look simple with meal plans posted on the fridge and everyone knowing what they were responsible for whether it was packing for a cookout on the point or dish duty after a dinner for 20. Jane and Rob would head out to the Island as soon as ski season ended and the ice was out, often so early that they would wake up in the morning and have to chop a channel back to the mainland. Later they built a house on the river in Gananoque becoming a part of the year-round residents' community before moving back to Oakville to be closer to family. Their final move was to Petawawa where Kyra and her husband Wilf, granddaughter Kristen, and three of her nine great grandchildren live.

Jane's daughters-in-law Cindy and Mimi had known Jane since they were teenagers and with their husbands spent many happy times together and later with the grandchildren - Taylor, Cassie, Brianne, Kevin, Kristen, Ben, Cam and Griffen who were lucky enough to each have time with her at different stages in their lives whether it was at the cottage, after school pick-ups or holidays together in the Bahamas. Grandma made each one feel special and loved, celebrating every milestone as they grew up. Although she wasn't able to meet all of her nine great grandchildren, she was so proud of the amazing parents her grandson and granddaughters had become.

Jane loved music and singing in choirs took her and Rob to Europe to sing in choral competitions. Music was on the radio in the house and sheet music open, ready to play on her piano. Always creative, Jane was a quilter and took on the huge task of making quilts for each bed at the Benmiller Inn when Telfer was the Innkeeper. Her handmade birthday and thank you cards with intricate cut out designs and old photos are cherished by the recipients, and she brought her special homemade muffins and knitted dishcloths whenever she visited.

Jane's faith was unwavering, and she was active and involved in the Anglican church in every community, even taking charge one summer of bringing visiting ministers by boat to outdoor services at Half Moon Bay in the Thousand Islands. She made, and more importantly, kept in touch with friends wherever she went, people of all ages and backgrounds which is especially apparent in Petawawa where neighbours and friends were quick to bring meals to the house, cut the lawn, walk Gypsy and visit her in the hospital.

Never one to shy from technology, Jane mastered computers early on and during Covid began a tradition of FaceTime dinners with friends and family which continued until just last month and, true to form, from her hospital bed, Rob helped Jane to reach out to those who weren't able to say goodbye in person.

A funeral will be held at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Pembroke, Ontario on Saturday, September 7th at 11am. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society.