Janet Cameron

Janet (Dear On Your Heart) Cameron

Boisdale

We regret to announce the passing of our sister Janet on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at Lakeridge Health Oshawa Hospital, just one month away from her 90th birthday. 

Born in Mabou on July 6, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Finlay and Sarah (Beaton) Cameron.  She is survived by her brother Father Francis Cameron, her sister Isabel (Harold) Hirlehey, her nephews Patrick and David, her grand nieces Anna and Olivia, grand-nephews Cameron and Damian.  She is also survived by many cousins, a host of friends too numerous to mention and her special friend and caregiver Sandra O’Handley. 

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her sisters Mary and Margie and brother Father Leo Cameron. 

Janet had a fantastic life.  She received her education in North Sydney, Boisdale, Iona, the Provincial Normal College in Truro, St. Francis Xavier University and UCCB.  She was a respected and beloved educator, always kind and understanding.  She began her teaching career at the age of 17 in Boisdale.  She also taught in Shenacadie, Edmonton, Heatherton, Dartmouth, Bras d’Or, Toronto and finished in North Sydney retiring from teaching in 1984.

Janet was a true Christian in every sense of the word.  She was above all else, a friend.  If someone needed help, she was there.  She had only kind words for everyone.  She was the person who would greet a stranger at a gathering and make them feel welcome.  She was a believer.  She loved the church.  To her the church was the most beautiful thing in the world.  She served as organist, choir member and a reader.  She enjoyed religious studies. She received diplomas from UCCB and the Atlantic School of Theology and taught religious education in the schools and her home parish of Boisdale. 

Another one of her passions was music.  She loved all kinds of music.  She was very concerned that the Scottish music was being played too fast and would lose its authenticity, so take heed all you fiddlers out there!  She was a great piano player who played at dances and made recordings with Joe MacLean and Joe Peter MacLean.  She was the driving force of the Boisdale Trio with Joe Peter MacLean, Paul Wukitsch, and in the later years her brother Father Francis.  She always gave encouragement to anyone who was learning to play an instrument or sing a song.  She was a loyal active member of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association, serving on the administration committee for many years.

Janet was a fun-loving person.  Dances, concerts, plays, darts and card games were all a part of her life.  Travel was a big part of her life as well with trips to Turkey, the Holy Land, Great Britain, Europe and many parts of the United States and all over Canada.  One place she wanted to go was Churchhill, Manitoba to see the polar bears, but she did not make that trip.

She loved the Gaelic language.  She was always wanting to speak it and read it.  She was the anchor for Wednesday morning Gaelic Group in Boisdale.  Winter was her favorite season, the bigger the blizzard the better for Janet.  She loved the snow.

She, like everyone else was not perfect.  She was stubborn.  You could not win an argument with Janet, she would come up with some statement to shut it down and if you ever had the privilege of playing a game of auction with her you would have experienced her manipulative tactics.

In 1970 Janet left her teaching job in Toronto to come back to Boisdale to care for her aging parents.  The Cameron house was always a ceilidh house and Janet continued that tradition.  Many well known musicians tuned their fiddles or guitars and tickled the ivories in that house.  Many songs were sung there.  The last 15 years were indeed very happy ones for Janet as she lived, laughed and played tunes with Father Francis.  Everyone was welcome there and treated with a cup of tea, a shot of Johnny Walker and a good tune.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions there will be no visitation. Burial will take place in St. Andrew parish cemetery. A Memorial Mass will be held at a later date at St. Andrew Church in Boisdale.

Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of W.J. Dooley Funeral Home, 107 Pleasant Street, North Sydney. 

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.wjdooley.com

Janet you will be missed by so many people. 

Rest in peace, Sweet Lady!

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