JANET TRUTHWAITE (MALEK)

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JANET TRUTHWAITE (nee MALEK) Passed peacefully in her sleep, after a lengthy illness, on April 1, 2013 at the age of 81. Janet leaves to mourn her husband Buck, who she had the honour of celebrating 60 wonderful years with on February 14 of this year; her children: son Sandy (Michele) and their children Whitney, Joel, Owyn and Hailee; son Dee and his daughter Rebecca (Claudio); son Jim (Janis) and their son Matthew; daughter Karen Boyce (Dave) and their children Riley (Lygia), Murray, Jenny and Lynsey; son John and his daughter Ava; and special family member Juliano Nieckarz de Assis. Janet is also survived by her sisters, Nellie Markowsky of Vernon, BC and Alice Massey of Selkirk, as well as nieces, nephews and her many wonderful friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Rose (1980) and John (1958) Malek, as well as her sisters Caroline (1973) and Rose (2012). Janet married the love of her life, Buck, on Valentine's Day 1953 and they went on to raise four sons and a daughter in the family home in Lockport. Janet's children were the focal point of her life. Whether it was cheering them on at a football game or keeping them in line, she was always there for them with love and support. No one could have hoped for a more loving mother. In later years, this focus moved to her grandchildren. Nana's home was a place of joy and happiness for all the grandchildren, a place that was home away from home for each of them. Janet was extremely proud of all her grandchildren and loved them dearly. Each and every one of them had a special place in her heart. Despite all of Mom's many, many years of her own health issues, she was "The Rock" of this family. Her own needs were always secondary to those of her family. She always wanted to help her children and grandchildren with their problems. No problem was too big or too small. As we reflect upon Mom now, words to best describe her are: unconditional loving, giving, strong, resilient, caring, generous to a fault and stubborn. A born fighter! She was known as Mom and Nana to all. Her door, her home and her heart were open to all. In accordance with Janet's wishes, cremation has taken place. A celebration of her life will be held in the Gilbart Funeral Chapel on Friday April 5, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to contribute to Janet's memory, may do so to the charity of their choice. The family would like to thank all the people that brought happiness and comfort to Janet during the latter part of her illness. In particular, a special thank you to Dr. Richard Lindenschmidt, who went above and beyond the highest expectations, the nurses/hospital staff at Selkirk General Hospital for their compassionate care. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the special Home Care individuals who assisted Mom over her last months. Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk in care of arrangements. www.gilbartfuneralhome.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 04, 2013