Sadly, our beloved Janice Ferguson passed away on April 9th, 2025 after battling dementia. Janice was born November 15,1942.
She was a daughter of the late John Ferguson & Elizabeth Gillis; sister of the late Wesley Ferguson.
As a young woman she graduated from Holy Family High School in 1961 and graduated St. Joseph’s School of Nursing Glace Bay N.S. in 1964 with a diploma in nursing.
Janice was a member of Stella Maris Parish, Inverness and worked for the parish from 1964 -1965.
She then began work at St. Mary’s Hospital, Inverness in 1965 until1977. Her hospital employment continued when she and other medical staff were transferred to the newly constructed Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital where she was employed from 1977- 1997.
Janice was a dedicated & passionate member of the Inverness community.
Within Stella Maris Parish, Inverness she was a dedicated member of the church, acting as a past lector and Eucharistic minister.
Her selfless volunteer work also included being a member of I.C.M. Hospital Ladies Auxiliary. She also served as president and past president of the C.W.L.
Janice was also a member of Inverness Gathering Princess Pageant and a member of Inverness Events Committee. She received a Plaque for Community Service in 2004, the same year when she served as a member of Inverness Centennial Committee.
In her retirement she became a family historian, which led to a fondness for genealogy, as well as a passion for photography. These activities led her discover new passions. It was during this period that Janice gainfully employed herself in scrapbooking. Through this hobby, Janice collected photographs, historic accounts, and stories about Inverness and its people. In this role she compiled an incredible history of the town. She had compiled scrapbooks dedicated to the town’s earliest mining days, its war service, including a thick scrapbook dedicated to the women who had served actively in the two world wars. Those endeavors, she rescued an unrivaled archive of Inverness town through its century and a quarter.
Janice was an active member of the Inverness Miners Museum and helped in the creation of the DVD and film of Ned MacDonald’s book, The Broken Ground.
For as long as she was able to, Janice attended town events with her camera and continued to document its history as it was happening, whether in schools, the Legion or the fire hall. Many of these photographs, those that captured special moments in a person or family’s life, she would send to them through the mail so they would possess a memento of that moment.
Janice Ferguson was a person to whom a great deal of gratitude is owed for her selfless service to the town she loved.
Janice will be sadly missed by her two children & partners, Shannon McAnulty (Shane); and son, Ian MacDonnell (Ayaka). Also, by her brother, Matthew (Matty) Ferguson (Middy).
Many nieces, nephews & spouses will also mourn Janice’s passing, John Ferguson (Meredith), Lisa Alford (Trevor), Carrie Ferguson (Chris), Chad Ferguson (Jesslyn), and David Ferguson.
Janice also loved her many god children whom she considered extended family; Jon Yipp Jr, Jonathan Vance, Francis Maclellan Drodge, Chad Ferguson, Jonathan MacEachern, Carrie Ferguson, Cathy Ferguson Gavin and Elsa Hodder.
The family would like to offer special thanks to the Inverness Consolidated staff for their care while Janice was waiting for placement in the long-term care in the Inverary Manor, especially to Dr. Eagar, to whom Mom gave glowing recommendations. Our thanks also to the Inverary Manor Staff and Palliative care who treated her with love & respect. And to those who cared for her during her stay at Foyer Pere Fiset in Cheticamp, as well as to Allan MacMaster for his assistance.
People wanting to show their respect for Janice can make donations to Inverness Fire Hall or the Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital.
Funeral Mass will be held in Stella Maris Church, Inverness on Saturday August 9, 2025 at 11:00 am.
A celebration of Life will be held in the Inverness Fire Hall following Church services.
Online condolences may be made to: www.invernessfuneralhome.com
