Jane E. Sargent (Nee Hiebert)

1944 ~ 2015

On September 20, 2015, Jane Eleanor Sargent nee Hiebert, passed away peacefully in the Pinawa Hospital after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, an illness that she faced with dignity and grace.  She was predeceased by her parents Herb and Nellie Hiebert, sister Ruth Leigh, grandson Michael Sargent, nephews Sheldon and Stephen Lagasse and dear friend Caroline Carlton nee Schilder.  Left to mourn her passing, while rejoicing in having known and loved her, are husband Peter, daughter Karen, son Kurt, grandson Rylan Sargent, “adopted” grandson Dylan Daymond, sister Pauline Lagasse, brothers-in-law John Leigh and Malcom Sargent (Judy), and numerous nephews, nieces and friends.

Jane was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in May of 1944. She grew up in Fort Qu’appelle, Saskatchewan together with her two older sisters Pauline and Ruth. During her high school years, she met and was greatly influenced by Florence James who inspired her lifelong interest in amateur theatre.

After graduating from high school, she studied Education at the University of Saskatchewan. Jane took a year off to teach in Outlook, Saskatchewan. Discovering that teaching wasn’t for her, she returned to U of S to complete a B.A. During this time, she met and married her husband of 48 years, Peter.

In the summer of 1967, daughter Karen was born and, shortly afterwards, they all moved to the UK to live in Yorkshire for 2 years where her son, Kurt, was born. Returning to Canada in the Fall of 1969, she and her family settled in Pinawa, Manitoba.

Jane valued family, friends, and community, and she gave generously to all. She was incredibly creative, intelligent and sharp witted. Jane loved to sew, fabricating unique costumes and clothing for her children and grandchildren. The clothes she made were done to a high standard always superior to anything you could buy in a store, and were often handed down numerous times before wearing out. She also applied this talent to making costumes for the Pinawa Players. Jane also used the same creativity in the kitchen. She loved to bake cookies, cakes and pies. Every birthday was celebrated with a distinct birthday cake or a birthday pie.

Throughout each phase of her children’s lives, she was among the first to volunteer to help with whatever activity they were involved in at the time and would often remain involved long after her children had lost interest. When her daughter became a Brownie, Jane became involved and progressed in the Guiding movement from a being a Brownie leader to a Guiding leader, then Pathfinders, and finally Commissioner. She also took on the role of Treasurer of the figure skating club. She helped with Teen Centre activities, such as plays that were put on by the teens for younger children. She was also an enthusiastic hockey mom.

In latter years, Jane’s community involvement included PCDC, Pinawa Foundation, the Manitoba Science Academy, and a bus stop volunteer. For Pinawa’s 50^th, she and Christine Nuttall organized displays in the old Fire Hall, depicting the history of AECL in Pinawa and at the Whiteshell Lab. This project would not likely have come to fruition without Jane and Christine’s efforts.

Perhaps one of the most public manifestations of Jane’s commitment to community was her long term involvement in the Pinawa Players. Although her specialties were makeup and costumes, she also pitched in where needed, painting sets, mopping floors, organizing the Pinawa Players cupboards, and serving as Treasurer for many years. Jane was instrumental in helping the players become incorporated.

After staying at home to raise her children when they were young, Jane entered the work force as a casual tour guide for AECL, conducting tours of the WNRL and, later, the URL. This work eventually led to full time employment. Together with her close friend Christine Nuttall, she took public affairs displays to various locations throughout Canada. In the 1980s, she joined the Waste Management public affairs group. Working closely with Jo Hillier, she thoroughly enjoyed the diverse nature of this work. Her innate ability to condense complex technical jargon into succinct simple statements that the public could easily understand made Jane an invaluable asset to the team.

When AECL downsized in 1998, Jane took an early retirement. For a time she took on some contract communications work and became involved with the PCDC, Pinawa Foundation, and the Science Academy. But a large part of her focus in this period of her life was being a grandmother.

Jane was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in the fall of 2013. She bravely vowed to fight back against the cancer and reclaim as much time on this earth as she could. With her husband by her side every step of the way, Jane began an aggressive chemo therapy treatment. In spite of the horrible side effects of the therapy, she soldiered on and continued to contribute to PCDC, Pinawa Foundation and the Players during her illness. When treatment was no longer effective, Jane still did not give up. She fought for every last moment with her family and her friends. She touched the lives of many people, and will be forever loved and forever missed.

Jane’s family expresses their gratitude to all the health care professionals who cared for her during her illness.  We are especially grateful to Dr Marianne Krahn of St Boniface Hospital, Dr. Michel Bruneau of the Lac du Bonnet Medical group, Pinawa Cancer Care staff and nurses, the Pinawa Hospital Nursing staff, ward aides and cleaners who looked after her so well.  We also wish to acknowledge the palliative care program and its staff who were so very supportive.  From diagnosis in 2013 through to now, we were blessed to have had the support of family and many friends who sat with Jane during chemo sessions and visited with her at home and in hospital.  The family is especially appreciative for those friends who visited Jane during her last days when she was heavily medicated and unable to communicate.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, September 28 at Sobering Funeral Chapel, 1035 Park Avenue E. in Beausejour.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CancerCare Pinawa, Box 220, Pinawa, MB R0E 1L0.

www.soberingfuneralchapel.com

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