Jean Melba Heard

Jean was born on June 15, 1924 in Port Arthur, Ontario to Robert Louis Srigley and Ethel Cooke Srigley. The Srigley family were Quakers who first arrived in southern Ontario at the end of the 18th century and settled in the Newmarket area around 1805.

Jean graduated as an RN in 1945 after attending nursing school at the Port Arthur General Hospital. She married Martin Grinstead in 1946 and had three children, Norma Jean, Maurice and Louise. She practiced as a nurse in Port Arthur and Nipigon, Ontario and at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital in Vernon, BC. Jean’s second marriage to Carl Heard took place in Vernon, BC.

Jean had a great sense of humour and her beautiful smile welcomed everyone she met. She loved music and especially playing the piano. She accompanied choirs, instrumentalists and singers throughout her life. She also played the organ in two different churches in Port Arthur and sang in church and community choirs. She “entertained” at the piano at nursing homes and hospitals for many years in Vernon, BC, Rainy River, ON, Fort Frances, ON and Baudette, MN.

Jean had beautiful gardens and loved flowers. She was a poet, filled several books and was famous for her annual “spring” poems. Jean loved animals especially dogs and cats and had a series of loving pets over her lifetime.

Jean served her Lord throughout her life and was a member of churches in Port Arthur, Ontario, Vernon, BC and Rainy River, Ontario. She was a prayer warrior who continuously prayed for her family from coast to coast. Her faith was strong and central to her daily life.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and staff of 9Lane for their care of Jean over the last month. This is a difficult and demanding workplace and yet the staff continued to show great care of Jean throughout her stay.

Jean is survived by her children, Norma Jean Johnston (Irwin), Maurice Grinstead (Susan), and Louise Grinstead, stepdaughter Lyn Thoms, goddaughter Barbara Vedan (Richard), grandchildren Ken (Kim), Peter (Janine), Michelle (Dan), Rebecca (Stefan), Marty, Jennifer (Rodney) and Amanda (Derek), great grandchildren Emily, Riley, Veronica, Alexi, Chloe, Wilf, Myles, Eric, Thea, Leo, Vieve and Alina, her niece Carrie (Dave), great niece Stacey (Chad), great nephew Andrew (Victoria), brother-in-law Bernard Grinstead and nieces Anne and Linda (Chris) and families.

Funeral services will be held at a later time in Rainy River, Ontario.