Janet Kay Thurston

Janet was born in Toledo, Washington to Lawrence and Dorothy Loveland. She’s started a new adventure now after passing away at home with family at her side. She grew up in Gig Harbor as an only child. She married the father of her four children Robert Bigelow on April 12, 1958 in Boise ID and was later divorced. She married Peter Thurston on June 3, 1977. Although they later divorced they have remained best friends and spoke to each other daily until she passed.

She spent many years raising four children on her own and would work at any job that would feed and clothe them. Often, she worked several jobs at once until finally she found her calling and became a correctional officer at the Pima County Jail where she met her close friend Ellie. She retired from there in March of 1995.

There was nothing that she wouldn’t try. She loved to dance, sing, cook. laugh and love. She loved her crafts and finding that special thing that she could make for everyone. She learned to knit, crochet, needlepoint, and embroider. She dabbled in ceramics and made porcelain dolls. We all looked forward to the awesome gifts she made us and we will enjoy the fruits of her labors for years to come. But more than anything she loved to spend time with those she loved.

Janet will always be remembered for her adventurous spirit, strength, fairness, generosity, and her unwillingness to give up. But mostly we will remember her smile. It didn’t matter what life handed her, she accepted it gratefully, with a smile, and always had the attitude that someone else was in worse shape.

In the later years of her life she looked forward to her Silver Sneakers class. Not only was it great exercise but she made some wonderful friends as well.

She is survived by her 4 children, Robert (Donna) Bigelow, Tyann Crus, Dorothy (Rex)Johns and Thomas Bigelow along with 12 grandchildren and 13 grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents Dorothy and Lawrence, her beautiful daughter in law Melissa Bigelow and her wonderful son in law Henry Crus