Jane Lindsay,
Loving wife and mother, the best of friends and neighbours, community volunteer. Born Nov. 30, 1951, in Ely, England. Died Sept. 20, 2010, in Dundas, Ont., of pancreatic cancer, aged 58.
Jane Lindsay loved to party. In 2003, within a week of moving into a large Victorian house in Dundas, Ont., with her husband and young family, she hosted a lively housewarming party on their porch. Her new neighbours quickly formed the impression that this was a woman who loved life and valued friendship.
Jane was the oldest child of Michael and Margaret Stephenson. In 1962, the family immigrated to Montreal, where Jane spent her formative years. She attended Miss Edgar's and Miss Cramp's School for Girls before moving back to England in 1975 to pursue a postsecondary fine-arts education.
Upon returning to Montreal, she married her beloved George Lindsay in 1980. In 1984, a work-related move led them to Toronto, where their sons, Hugh and Graeme, were born. After a happy 20 years spent in the Beaches, another work move for George brought them to Dundas, Ont.
Perhaps it was these frequent moves that shaped Jane's ability to make friends so easily. The other circumstance that shaped her was her mother's death in 1969 of a cerebral aneurysm. Although Jane was only 18 at the time, this loss thrust her into the role of matriarch. Her four younger siblings credit her for keeping their family together - she was forever calling, writing, e-mailing or chatting.
Jane brought her inclusiveness and generosity of spirit to her Dundas home, which quickly became a neighbourhood hub. An impromptu visit was always welcome, and tea, a glass of wine or a place at the dinner table was always offered. While Jane referred to her entertaining style as simple, her guests experienced it as anything but.
Jane had exacting standards of etiquette for herself and her family. Her handwritten thank-you cards were legendary and she never failed to acknowledge a birthday. She did, however, fall short when it came to punctuality. At her funeral it was joked that in life, the late Jane Lindsay was often exactly that: late. Jane would have enjoyed that kind of irreverence.
Jane had an eye for art and interior decor, and was a talented gardener, photographer and organizer. She parlayed these skills into numerous volunteer endeavours, raising significant amounts of money and bringing people together in a way that only Jane could. She worked tirelessly for the Montreal Junior League, Carnegie Gallery and Dundas Home and School.
First impressions had been right: Jane valued family and friendship above all else. At her funeral, her family chose to play Barbra Streisand singing, "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world," because it represented how Jane lived her life. We will miss her.
By Brenda Copps and David Smith, Jane's friends and neighbours