Janice Soloway

Janice Alma Soloway was born in Spyhill, Sask. on June 24,1939.  She passed away on October 17th, 2018 with her children at her side. 
 
Our mum was a very hard worker and her hands were never idle.  Her dad passed away when she was only 13 years old and life on the farm was hard.  She had to quit school to work alongside her family on the farm and at the tender age of 15 years took her first waitressing job.  She left home to do this and helped support the family with her income. Mum's entire focus of her life was to provide for her family.  In later years when she fell in love and married, her devotion was always to her family.  Her garden's were huge, her freezers and cold storage were full  to the brim and her homemade soup was simply the best.
 
Mum was never more happy than when working in her garden.  She took great pride in her yard that she built literally from the ground up. Every pile of dirt was spread by shovel, every tiny tree planted with her own hands. There wasn't a seed that mum did not want to try to grow and collecting the seed pods every fall was also something she loved to do.  Nothing was ever wasted, for she also knew what it was like to be without. Mum also had a love and compassion for all animals especially her beloved cats. She also loved fish and has several tanks at home that she kept pristine and tended to daily. She loved to hear the birds sing in the yard and watch her hummingbirds at the feeders. Mum also took a lot of pride in her home based business, Next to New.  She was open for business whenever she was needed! 
 
Music was a huge part of Mum's life. In her later years her radio played 24/7, beside her chair.  The Saturday night old time music was especially a favorite and if you called during that time you could always tell the volume had been turned up a bit!  Mum could play the organ and guitar by ear and she also loved to sing. It was a very important part of her life. She was not one for TV but as a young woman she did love the "Edge of Night"and everything stopped when she watched her "story" for a half hour. It was probably the only time she would take for herself in the entire day. Mum was also very crafty;she could sew, quilt, embroider, crochet ( just by looking at something and re-produce it!) and make just about anything she set her mind too.  She loved it all! She was proud that she passed along these talents to her daughters and her son was also gifted with many talents passed down from our mum.
 
She was so proud of her grandchildren and the fine adults they have become and took so much pride in their accomplishments. Her great grandchildren and their antics always gave her a chuckle!  
 
Mum was predeceased by her dad Harry Steele, her step dad Stan Mitten, her mum Emma Mitten, her sister Linda, her brother Glen and an infant granddaughter Stacey.She was also predeceased by her partner Mike Valberg,  and her husband and father of her children Dave Soloway.
She leaves to mourn her passing and celebrate her life, her daugher Camy (Dan) and grandchildren Matthew and Andrew, her son David (Joann) and grandchildren Davy and April, her daughter Donna (Kerry) and grandchildren Catlin, Terissa and Rebecca.  She also leaves her grandchildren's partners and 6 great grandchildren who were all so special to her.  She is also survived by her sister Kathleen.
 
The family would like to thank all the Hospital staff, Doctors and Home Care involved in Mum's care, especially those at the Esterhazy Hospital. Mum worked as a nurse in the old hospital in Esterhazy as a young woman and it always had a special place in her heart.  The nurses were "her girls" and you were all very special to her. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
 
At Janice's request there will be no funeral. She will be laid to rest at the Thingvalla Cemetary near Churchbridge Sask at a later date. 

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