Jeanne Theresa Nezic

With sadness and with gratefulness for time shared, her loving family and friends wish to announce the passing of Jeanne Nezic (nee Robbins) and celebrate her life. The only daughter of Samuel (Sidney) Robbins and Honora Robbins (nee Dyde), Jeanne lived most of her life in Calgary, growing up and then returning to 2114 7 Street SW with her three children, Johnny, Tony and Christina.

This neighbourhood, where she lived and raised her children was home until the 1990s, when Jeanne moved to the Estate Condominiums, followed by the Fountains of Mission, and then finally Cambridge Manor Long-term Care. In every home, Jeanne was always a true neighbour and made good friends, whether with the Prydes or Doolittles next door on 7th St or at the Fountains of Mission, and Cambridge Manor.

Jeanne loved to share stories, firstly about her children, whom she was always so very proud of, or of her father ("daddy") or mother ("mum"). Her travel adventures included a European cruise with Sidney when she was 16, she would love to reminisce about her visit to the Vatican, as well as attending an opera at La Scala Milano. Jeanne was also a voracious reader, taking that love from her mother.

Jeanne worked as a nurse’s aide at Calgary's Holy Cross Hospital and then continued her work in Grande Prairie, Alberta, where she married and had her first son, John. Besides her lifelong dedication to her family, both for her children and then caring for her father and mother, Jeanne was an accomplished singer, and a lover of dance and music. Jeanne's main outlet for this talent and passion was the St. Mary's cathedral choir, where she sang alto. Her favourite time of year to sing was at Easter Sunday mass and the Hallelujah chorus, where she would “belt it out”. As a child, she would sing together with her cousin Jane, accompanied by her Aunt Chris (Wooten) on piano at their summer home at Whitewood Lake, near Edmonton. Jeanne's favourite musicians included Burl Ives, and Johnny Cash, The Three Tenors and of course Andrea Bocelli. Later, Jeanne would love to “doodle art” as she called it and always loved a game of scrabble, especially with her cousin Michael Robbins. Jeanne always remembered her grandmother Dyde ("nana") with great love and fondness.

Jeanne was very close with her aunts and uncles and had fond stories of Uncle Sandy (Dyde), “who liked his toast brown, not burned”, and Uncle Bertie (Robbins), who would always offer sweets at the Empress Hotel he managed in Victoria. Living one street away from her Uncle George and Aunt Margie (Robbins) offered many opportunities to visit with Michael (and then Brenda), Mary Lee, Georgia, and Alison. Francis Plaunte (Dyde) was also a frequent visitor and friend.

Jeanne's friendships extended far and near, including with her friend Loan from Vietnam and Claudette (and her daughter Jelessa) who assisted Jeanne with home care in Honora's final years. She also cherished the friendships she formed with all the staff who assisted her in her later years. The family would like to express our sincerest appreciation for all their efforts caring for her.

For Jeanne, the sun set and shone on her children and then her grandchildren, where her true devotion lay. Jeanne was very close with her eldest grandchildren, Alexandra and Emily (Christina and Darrel Thorson), and loved every opportunity to see them. She was very proud of Alexandra attending an Art Institute in New York (Parson’s) as Honora (Jeanne’s mother) completed post-graduate studies at Pratt and International House NY. She was also so very happy to meet Emily’s fiancé, Blake, and then to participate in Emily's 'spectacular' wedding (as Jeanne proudly described it). Samuel (John and Tania Nezic) was very close with “Gram”, and they shared a special bond. When he was younger watching Murdoch Mysteries and later at Cambridge manor, when the weather was warm, Sam would spend time with her in the garden or take her for a spin in her wheelchair “don’t forget my sunglasses”. Charlie Khai (Tony Nezic and Thao Truong) would draw pictures at least once a week to send to Grandma, often mailing them where they ended up on the wall of her room along with the photos of all the people she loved. Jeanne had a very special place in her heart for cats, beginning with Mitsy and Pepper, and then Garfie before finally, her greatest cat friend, Patches.

We will all always keep Jeanne in our memory as a kind, gentle, generous spirit, with the touch of the Robbins/Dyde sharp wit and persistence. Jeanne always cared for others first and to the end. We will miss this spirit and her laugh but keep her in our hearts. Jeanne is survived by her children, John (Tania). Tony (Thao), Christina (Darrel) and her 4 grandchildren. Alexandra, Emily (Blake), Samuel and Charlie Khai.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The ALS Society of Calgary at https://www.alsab.ca, The Prostate Cancer Centre of Calgary at https://www.prostatecancercentre.ca and The Terry Fox Foundation at https://terryfox.org.

A Funeral Service will be held at St. Mary's Cathedral, 219 18th Avenue, SW, Calgary, Alberta on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 at 11:00 AM. Interment to follow at St Mary's Cemetery in Calgary, Alberta.