BROCKWAY, Janet Nina (nee Andrews) – (August 31, 1934 – June 11, 2020) -
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Janet Nina Brockway (nee Andrews) at 2:00 a.m. on June 11, 2020 at Newmarket Health LTC with her daughter Patricia by her side (and family members praying from afar due to Covid restrictions).
Devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunty, friend and so much more. After struggling with Parkinson’s for many years she is finally free of the disease that took so much from her.
We will miss her so much but at the same time can't believe how lucky we were to have her in our lives in one way or another for almost 86 years.
Janet (Mummy) was a wonderful mum to four children, Andrew (Candice)Leslie, Sandra (Jack Lichtman), Patricia (Richard Oakley) and Theresa (Al King) predeceased Rob McNamara. Wife to Robert (Bob) Brockway (predeceased), daughter to Desmond and Nina (Short) Andrews, loving older sis to 3 sisters, Jill (predeceased William Murray), Tess (predeceased William Smith), Susan (Al White), and 3 brothers, Chris (Sally), Anthony (Bernie) Veronica and Paul (Elaine).
Amazing Granny to Hannah (Ben Nielsen), Jessica, Sydney, Daniel, Jonathon, Samuel (Aleesha), Maggie, Jordan, Raymie, Nathan and Kalila. Great Granny to Elizabeth, Annette and Katherine. Aunty Jan to so so many!
Janet was born in Birmingham, England, and immigrated to Canada in 1956. After marrying Bob, she raised her family on Clarence Street in Woodbridge from about 1963 to 1980. They moved to an acreage in Tottenham until our father’s passing, then moving to Newmarket. As well as being a full-time mother, she worked in Pine Grove for many years, first as the secretary at St. Margaret Mary’s School and then as the administrative assistant and office manager to the owners of Hayhoe Mills.
Janet was devoted to her family and her faith and always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone she could. Always putting everyone ahead of her own needs. As an active member of her church, she held many roles from president of the CWL, to Sunday School teacher to keeper of the coffee rotation list, always ready to do whatever was asked of her.
She loved to garden, paint, sculpt and dance when she was able. Her grandchildren kept a youthful spark in her eye, with many simple pleasures like raking fall leaves, snowball fights and tobogganing. She loved to travel and wished that she’d been able to do so much more. She enjoyed a good joke. She deeply believed in faeries.
Throughout her entire life, her sense of Andrew’s humour never wavered. She always got the joke and you knew by the glint in her eyes and subtle, but knowing smile on her face.
Janet was one in a million, a Rockstar! We will love you forever, always in our hearts and minds. You’re free to fly once again.
Arrangements with Roadhouse and Rose funeral home. Due to COVID, space will be limited at the church, however if you would like to attend, please contact Trish Oakley at
For those unable to attend, St Elizabeth Seton will be live streaming the mass, please go to their website at https://stelizabethsetonparish.com/ or their FaceBook Page https://www.facebook.com/watch/stelizabethsetonparish and follow the instructions.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Parkinson Canada https://www.parkinson.ca/getinvolved/waystogive/#memory
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