Jane "Jenny" Anne Thomas (nee Campbell)

Jane Anne (Jenny) Thomas (nee Campbell) was born August 17, 1932 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, the sixth of seven children. She grew up in the Great Depression and the Second World War, events that shaped her. Jenny was an athlete, with promise as a swimmer and a dancer. She excelled academically, although it wasn’t until she had raised her family that she completed degrees in geography and education, becoming a primary school teacher at the age of 50.

Jenny married the love of her life, Richard Thomas, on April 11, 1953, when she was 20 years old. They remained married 53 years, until his death in 2006, and had four children: Pan (Mitchell), Jeremy (Margaret), Sarah and Nell (Bob), and five grandchildren: Miranda, Eli, Bradley, Rohan, Nicky.  

Jenny was a passionate woman, with many interests and loves. She was devoted to her family and was most fulfilled as a mother, grandmother, sister and aunt. She loved growing her garden to feed her family, cultivating flowers, cooking, baking, sewing, knitting, singing and reading; Jenny was vastly well-read and favoured Shakespeare and works of philosophy in her later years. Jenny was known and admired by many for her generosity, lively wit, and outspoken commitment to her humanistic values.

Jenny was a remarkable survivor: she recovered from typhoid fever as a child, beat cancer twice, survived Covid twice, and fought her way back from three serious strokes. Impressively, she stayed in the farmhouse she and Richard built in Burks Falls after his death, and even after her first stroke in 2010. At 85, she moved to Minden, Ontario, close to her youngest daughter, Nell, for the last seven years of her life.  Jenny suffered a final stroke on November 4, and died peacefully on December 30 at home.  In her last days, she enjoyed precious moments with her children and grandchildren. Jenny - as mom, gramma, aunt and friend - will be missed and remembered with great love and affection.

We profusely thank all the people who cared for Jenny during her final months - the WONDERFUL staff at HHHS, the Gardens of Haliburton, Dr. Norm Bottum, Jerry Griffin, Kathy Mclaughlin, Canon Joan Cavanaugh, Rhonda Kreller, Michelle Miscio, and Beth Archibald.

Private Family Arrangements

The family is planning a ceremony at the Richard Thomas Memorial Park in Burks Falls this summer. She would be honoured and grateful if donations were made to her favourite charity, Doctors Without Borders, in lieu of flowers. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the HALIBURTON COMMUNITY FUNERAL HOME 13523 Hwy. #118, Haliburton, Ontario (705) 457-9209.

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