JATTAN, Jenny-Lynn Jattan

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Jenny-Lynn in Brampton, Ontario, just past midnight on New Year’s Day, 2026. Jenny was born in Trinidad to Artemas and Adella Jattan. Her early life was spent in a loving, protective family in Trinidad until her parents moved the family to Canada in January 1968 to take up teaching positions in Georgetown, Ontario.

From an early age, Jenny showed a natural and instinctive musical talent, encouraged by her parents with piano lessons beginning at the age of 6. Music sustained her throughout her life.

Jenny was a very intelligent and high-achieving student. She attended St. Augustine Girls’ High School in Trinidad and graduated from Georgetown District High School. She was outgoing, attractive and always dressed stylishly, regularly going clothes-shopping in Montreal. She went on to pursue an arts degree at the University of Toronto but left before graduating to focus on her true passion. Her keyboard skills in a variety of genres of music – rock, R & B, jazz especially – came to the attention of musicians and music promoters in the Toronto scene of the early 1970s and Jenny was persuaded to join and tour with a number of groups. She loved performing and was known for her velocity and rhythmic style of playing. She fully embraced the musician’s life, living on Yorkville Ave and jamming with many noted musicians of the era. The darker effects of the drug-fuelled lifestyle emerged in the mid-1970s, after a traumatic period of time in New York City, when she began to display erratic behaviour and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Through periods of hospitalization and treatment, Jenny’s strong will and independence endured. She gave music lessons and played the organ for church services from time to time. She composed many pieces throughout her life – some from her time studying classical composition in California. Her precisely-written manuscripts survive. In her latter years, Jenny isolated herself from friends and family and lived in Brampton, cared for by Albert, her long-time friend and protector, his sister, Mary, and her housemate Pedro. Although her delusions could make living with her difficult, people remember her quick wit and sense of humour, in her lucid

periods, as well as her piano playing, which brought joy to many. Over the years, she became increasingly reliant on Christian teachings and would rarely be without a Bible close at hand. She began copying parts of the scriptures in very neat handwriting into her notebooks. This gave her comfort and helped to keep her demons at bay.

Jenny was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in January 2025. After a rapid decline in December, she passed peacefully on January 1st, 2026. She is survived by her siblings Judy, Gerard, Roxanne and their families. The family would like to express sincere thanks and gratitude for their kind and compassionate care to her nurses, Alice and Dipinder of Saint Elizabeth Health Care and to her PSW, Lisa, whose prayers gave Jenny much comfort in her final days.

Cremation has taken place and a family memorial gathering will take place at a later date.