Janet Lorraine King

At 8:33 AM ET on December 10, 2024, Janet Lorraine King stepped through the veiled doorway of this world and into the boundless realm of the Eternal Path. She left as she lived, always on her own terms, in her own time, with a quiet dignity that met the weight of her illness without surrender. Her passing, though long anticipated, still arrived as all endings do, with an undeniable finality that leaves those who loved her changed and called to bear witness to the meaning of her life and the tender truth of her dying.

Janet was a woman of enduring love, though she would never have framed it so herself. Her love was implicit, carried in her steady care for her family: her children Caitlin, Cody, and Chase; her grandchildren, Afton and Adler; her sister, Laurie Anne; her extended family; and her beloved friends. She loved through action and attention, through acts of service that quietly reassured those she held dear. She brought a kind of reliability to the chaos of the world—a steadying presence that made the unmanageable seem known, the daunting seem possible.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Janet’s life was marked by a rare combination of grit and grace. Her professional journey spanned work in insurance, the art of dressmaking, and creative pursuits that reflected her innate resourcefulness. But her truest legacy is not one written in the language of careers or accolades; it is found in the lives she touched, the quiet wisdom she imparted, and the resilience she modelled through life’s inevitable and often unrelenting upheavals.

In her final years, Janet faced a relentless illness with what can only be described as a tender resistance—a refusal to bow easily to the forces that sought to define her. She wrestled with her diagnosis as if to say, “Not yet,” bargaining and clinging to the life she loved even as her body loosened its grip on it. Her dying was not an act of defeat; it was an act of profound courage. It revealed her ability to live in the face of impermanence, to hold on and let go all at once.

On the morning of her passing, Janet was draped in her clan’s colours, the proud McGregors. Her family surrounded her, holding her safe and steadfast as she took her final breath—a great honour and, in its way, poetry in motion. In those final moments, her family bore witness to a sacred surrender, as Janet faced her fears and transitioned into her truth. The palpable energy of her spirit’s ascent filled the room, and with her departure came a profound and unexpected peace—a peace that deepened the grief of her absence while honouring the life she had lived.

Janet’s hospice room became a sacred space in those final hours, softly lit and carried by the rhythmic thrum of ocean waves. It was here that her family whispered what she most needed to hear: You are loved. You are remembered. You made a difference. And when her spirit departed, they sat in the stillness of that truth, their grief made bearable only by the knowledge of the great honour it is to accompany someone on the journey home.

Janet leaves us with more than memories—she leaves us with a charge. Her life asks us to live with open hands and hearts, to let love be both the weight and the wonder of our days. She invites us to reflect on what it means to live fully and die with dignity, to prepare not in fear but in reverence for the inevitability of it all.

Janet is lovingly remembered by her daughter Caitlin (Jason); her son Cody (Danielle); her son Chase (Amanda); and her sister Laurie Anne King (Timothy). She was a proud Nana to her grandchildren Afton and Adler and eagerly anticipated the arrival of Cody and Danielle’s unborn child. Janet cherished her extended family, including her beloved nieces and nephews and their families, who brought her immense joy and connection across generations. She is predeceased by her parents, Patricia (Welsh) and Reginald King, who now surely welcome her with open arms in the Great Beyond.

A private Celebration of Life will be held for close family and friends at a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honour Janet by spending time with those you hold dear, by reflecting on the lessons her life and passing offer, and by embracing the quiet wisdom of love and loss. Also feel free to make a donation to the Vaughan Hospice. 

“Try not to resist the changes that come your way.Instead, let life live through you.And do not worry that your life is turning upside down.How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?”– Rumi

**In lieu of flowers, please consider sending donations to the Vaughan Hospice**

https://www.hospicevaughan.com/how-to-donate/

With gratitude and love, Her Family

Blog Post: Janet’s Final Breath

https://www.laurieanneking.com/janets-final-breath-wrestling-with-meaning-at-the-edge-of-life/