Obituary of Janet Somerville

SOMERVILLE (PARKER)

At Guelph General Hospital on Sunday, May 21, 2017, surrounded by her family, Janet Marie Somerville (Parker) of Guelph, formerly of Strathroy and Watford, at the age of 84.  Predeceased by her husband Eric Cameron Somerville (2003).

Mother of Jennifer Mary Aitkens (Bruce Kelly) of Guelph and Wallace Trevor Aitkens (Seeta) of Brampton.  Grandmother to Sacha.  Stepmother of Jane Somerville, Mary Pennell (Somerville), and Neil Somerville.

Survived by her brothers Wilbert Murray Parker (Margaret) and Gordon Campbell Parker.

Predeceased by her sister Elizabeth Ruth (Parker) MacKay and sister-in-law Beth Parker.

Following graduation from Watford District High School, Janet attended the Hamilton General Hospital School of Nursing (RN, class of ’54B). She travelled with several classmates to BC where she launched her career as a registered nurse at Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital and met her future husband, Arthur Charles Aitkens.  Art and Janet travelled to England where she served in the British hospital system, earning the nickname of “Sister Canada” for her unstinting work in wound management as she kept up the spirits of war amputees, including veterans of WW1, WW2, and the Boer War; survivors of friendly fire during the Suez Canal Crisis; and two children who had lost limbs as a result of a landmine. Following the birth of her children, she returned to Ontario to serve as an instructor of nursing assistants at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital under the mentorship of Dorothy Doan. Janet and Miss Doan were both strong women who valued education and the independence it gave women. Together with her colleague Florence Moore, Janet delivered a course of instruction that provided 308 high school graduates and mature women with the credentials they needed to succeed in nursing.

In 1989, Janet married Cameron Somerville. They enjoyed many years of retirement together at 180 Hull Road, the hub of their combined family and community life.  In 2015, Janet moved to the Ellington retirement residence in Guelph. Never one to sit still, she took on the care of the residence’s plants, bringing colour and joy to the lives of her fellow residents as she found renewed purpose in her own life. She was on her daily walking circuit when her heart gave out and she collapsed.

Friends are welcome to join Janet’s family in celebrating her indomitable spirit on Friday, May 26th, 2017 at DENNING’S OF STRATHROY, 32 Metcalfe St. W. from 1-2 pm, where a service will take place at 2 pm.  A committal service will follow at Strathroy Cemetery, just down the lane from the cemetery plaque that Janet was instrumental in having installed in 2004 in Cameron’s memory.

If desired, memorial contributions to the Elliott Community would be appreciated as your expression of sympathy.

Share a memory at www.denning.ca  519 245-1023.