Janet Elizabeth Rhodes

February 27, 1937 - March 10, 2023
Janet Elizabeth Rhodes, better known as "Betty" to everyone who knew her has gone to a much better and happier place to join family, her many pets, "horses, cats, rabbits, sheep, lambs, squirrels and dogs."
Betty was born 27 February 1937, in Nanaimo, B.C. and passed away quietly at her residence in Retirement Concepts, Williams Lake, BC on 10 March 2023. She was third in the line of six children.
Betty was born to Thomas Ford Rhodes, born in Yorkshire, England on 2 November 1908, dying on 2 February 1970 in Nanaimo, B. C. AND Agnes Bricknall Thyne born in Saskatchewan on 15 Oct 1912 and dying on 13 July 1993, in Nanaimo, B.C.
Pre-deceased were her parents, and brothers "baby 1933-1933", Robert Bruce "Bob" Rhodes 1934-2008, Thomas Ford Rhodes 1945-2023.
Leaving behind are her two sister's Gwendalyn Ann Rhodes Brown (Helmuth) of Nanaimo, BC and Agnes Bricknall Rhodes Angell (Jack) of Prince George, BC. She had 6 nieces and 7 nephews along with many great-nieces & nephews.
Janet grew up on the island with a family that had lots of love. Janet said, "They didn't have allot of money but that they always knew they were loved".
Besides loving family Janet was very into rescuing animals. I found an article written on Thursday, February 19, 1998, about her seeing two 3-month old puppies tied to a tire in a front yard on McKenzie just before Christmas. The article states that, she bought them, had their immunizations and health checks done at the Veterinary Clinic and then gave them to the SPCA with hopes they would go to loving homes. They were, the article was submitted by The Moortele family of 150 Mile House.
She has done this many times over, keeping most of them. Not being able to part with them. Other dogs were Sang & Tuk and a black lab named Echo who she walked the meadows with and were three of her great loves.
After High School Janet became a "Hello Girl", that's a girl who answered the old plug-in telephones on the island. She then enlisted in the Air Force and went to Petawawa, Ontario to watch radar screens for enemy aircraft. After being honorably discharged from the Air Force she moved to the Cariboo and lived out her life here. She knew so many people we couldn't go in any store that she wasn't recognized. She loved Ranch sitting, feeding animals and catching up with old friends.
She was coming to the Cariboo to be a ranch cook. She bought a cookbook on her way up. Because she said she couldn't boil eggs. One of the many jobs she had here the one that she loved the most was to be a cook then to manage the Dormitory Kitchens in Williams Lake and 100 Mile House for School District # 27.
She loved the children & their pranks and working with great people.
Janet was also a big help in getting money for and helping to build the Stampede Barns.
Janet loved to write and I have found many journals and just pieces of papers that she has written a journal note on during her life. These will go to her sisters & a great nephew along with her family history.
Janet was a valued and faithful member of "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints", this is where she spent many hours looking for information on her family from here to way back in Scotland.
You will find her name mentioned in many books written by locals mostly about her life as a pioneer women who loved nothing better than to pack her horse and dog/dogs and head off into the mountains. One year in fact she walked around the Gang Ranch, going through 5 pairs of shoes, being helped by many along the way but she never rode the horse, the puppy did!
She lost her sleeping bag in her second week out, stayed over one night at a cabin bunk house. After settling in to wash clothes, two men came in and ask if they could share the cabin for a night, of course she said then found out they were a RCMP officer and his son.
Even up till she was in her early 80's she walked the hills behind her house on Bailey Road, grew flowers and saved and spoiled animals. Her house rabbits were litter box trained and for their good behavior she bought them only the best; organic apples, parsley and carrots.
Janet is greatly loved and missed by many who loved her and her devotion to animals.
Grave site memorial Thursday 17 August, 2023 at 4 pm, then Light Refreshments afterwards at her church, located at 3039 Edwards Drive, Glendale area. At the end of Edwards.

On behalf of her family and friends,
Phyllis Galloway.

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