Obituary of Janette Rife
Katherine Janette McCurdy Rife was born the third child and first daughter of the late Arthur Cecil McCurdy and Mary (Marie) Magdalen Brunt Wood on January 21, 1926.
Of Scottish and Irish descent, “Janette” grew up on Dovercourt Road in Toronto and loved art and English at Dewson Street School and foreign languages at Bloor Collegiate. Encouraged by a teacher to pursue higher education, Janette enrolled in Victoria College at the University of Toronto in 1944.
Her oldest brother, Alexander McCurdy, was killed in WWII in February of 1945 in the Netherlands and her second brother Andrew served in the Canadian forces in France also during WWII and died in 1986.
Jan met Donald Logan Rife at U of T, reconnecting after a blind date. Don was studying Dentistry following completion of his military service in 1945. Janette graduated in 1948 and worked as an editor at Copp Clark Publishers. Married in 1950, Janette and Donald Rife were together for 56 years and loving parents to three children. Jan (“Jay” to her friends) remained very close to the “Vic” girls all her life.
She pursued another degree at York University in Sociology and worked both at York and later as office manager with Dr. Rife. Jan and Don were among the founders of Northminster United Church and remained very active in the congregation. Creating strong family ties and keeping good friends, Janette and Donald had a full life together until his death in 2006.
Although Jan was in failing health during her last 10 years, she maintained her position as head of the family and cared deeply for all of them, for the state of the world and for the content of all of our characters. Her intelligence, strong character, interest in books, musicals, politics, the UCW at the church and her family and friends will always be remembered and admired. Janette Rife will be sadly missed by daughters Katherine Rife (Joseph Alessi) and Nora Rife, son Gordon Rife ( Laurie), grandchildren Joseph and Gianna Alessi, Lindsey and Christine Rife ( Malcolm O’Hare) and great-grandson Connor O’Hare.
Please join us to celebrate her life Saturday, January 27th. Visitation at 10 AM, Service at 11, Reception at 12 noon at R S Kane Chapel, 6150 Yonge Street, Toronto. Memorial donations appreciated to the Scott Mission, Massey Centre, or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Janette
Rife 1926 2018.source
Death notice for the town of: Toronto, Province: Ontario