Extraordinary LIVES
MY FRIEND JANET SAUNDERS by Fiona Twilley JANET had a wonderful gift: she was able to make everyone she came into contact with feel special, and was a friend indeed to every friend in need. A trained nurse and midwife with a long and distinguished career, Janet’s support for me, as a newly qualified nurse, during night duty became the basis of a close friendship which lasted for more than 40 years. Later, when Janet retired as a senior night sister, she worked with disabled people. Selfless as she was, she would volunteer to work shifts on Christmas Day to allow members of staff to celebrate with their families, and used to accompany friends to medical appointments in the day, even if she had been working through the night before. She was in her early 40s when she met and married Alan, and they became very involved in village life. Her Christian faith was her strength. She sang in the choir and became a church warden and then a lay minister. Janet would ensure the church was always ready for services and for
the congregation — she would organise the cleaning of the building, often provide music and administer communion to parishioners who were unable to attend church services. Janet always liked children and she was instrumental in setting up the local events for ‘Messy Church’, an organisation committed to bringing the word of God to children and young families. She also had a love for all animals — especially cats and dogs. Though not blessed with children of her own, Janet was a generous and loving Godmother to my son and to several other children. As she was always ‘one of the family’, together we enjoyed musical performances, holidays, day trips and family occasions, with her wry sense of humour and love of mischievous pranks adding greatly to the fun and enjoyment. Janet was a very important part of my life and I was fortunate to have had such a caring, capable and loyal friend. Janet passed away in the hospice in Grantham Hospital on June 6. The funeral, attended by 500 people, and a memorial service, planned on October 27 at St Nicholas Church, Sapperton, Lincolnshire, show just how highly regarded Janet was by her community. She will be missed by everyone with whom she came into contact.
▪ JANET SAUNDERS, born July 9, 1951, died June 6, 2019, aged 67.