Janet Nelson

Janet was born on September 14, 1940, in Clinton, Ontario to John C. Read and Vera M. Lambrook, and she was raised in Elmira, Ontario. She will be missed by her many close friends and family, including her son John D. Nelson, of Troy, Michigan, her sister Fern Ward (Don) of Alberta, her brother, Wilbert Read of Parry Sound, Ontario, and nephew, Bruce Ward, of British Columbia, and nieces, Susan Ward and Ann Taylor, both of Alberta, plus seven grand and eight great grand nephews and nieces.

Janet was born in the 20th century, but she was clearly a woman of the 21st century, inspiring many of those who knew her. She at an early age struck out on her own, attaining her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario (1963) and a Master of Library Science degree from Wayne State University in Detroit (1978), teaching French and German in Europe in her younger years, and later in Ontario for 14 years.

Janet married John G. Nelson on August 27, 1977, and they divorced in 1998. After marrying John, Janet emigrated to the US, where she worked as a Librarian at the Burton Historical Collection in the Detroit Public Library from 1985 to 2004. Janet had many passions throughout the years, from skiing, traveling, genealogical research, quilting, cooking, to maintaining great friendships. Janet not only kept strong ties with early classmates, but developed new ones to people she met through her hobbies, extensive travel, church, and to her neighbours in Troy. Janet’s attention to detail was evident in the dozens of vibrant quilts she completed and gifted to her many friends and family. Janet’s greatest passion was reserved for the study of her family history, where she linked her relatives to many of the historical events in the US and Canada, including both world wars, the War of 1812, the War of Independence and the arrival of the Mayflower in 1620. She was able to trace her lineage to England, Scotland, Ireland and Germany.

Janet will be cremated and her remains will be interned at the Bethel Cemetery, (Harwich Twp.) Kent County, Ontario.

A celebration of life will be held on June 10, 2023, at 11:00 am with a lunch at noon, at the First United Methodist Church of Troy, 6363 Livernois Rd, Troy, MI.