Janet Dunsmore Shanks Fuller

Janet Dunsmore Shanks was born at 6:20 p.m. on April 11, 1918 in the village of Corstorphine, Scotland, to Thomas Potter Shanks and Jessie Ann Shanks (Horne). She was the middle child to Mary, her older sister, and Robert, her younger brother, and became known during her childhood as Jennie since there were too many Janets in the family to keep track of.

Jennie attended Boroughmuir School in Edinburgh, passed the Government Civil Service examinations and in July, 1938 was selected for service in the War Office, Whitehall, SW1, London, England. In London she was again forced to change her name to "Scottie". Despite learning the King's English at Boroughmuir, her London colleagues could still detect enough of a brogue to nickname her after her country of origin.

During the war Jennie met a young Canadian soldier, Richard Charles Fuller, who had arrived in England in 1939 with the First Canadian Division. Jennie and Dick "dated" during the blitz, they endured months, then years apart while Dick fought in Sicily and Italy and were eventually reunited at the end of the war. Dick was "demobed" back to Canada and wrote to Jennie to join him, which she did.

They were married in Niagara Falls, Ontario on July 3rd, 1946. They had two children, Kenneth Richard, born April 15, 1947 and Jennifer Mary, born June 28, 1950. When these two had children of their own Jennie was again forced to changer her name. This time "Nana" dragged Dick along and he became "Papa" to Jennifer's children, Erin and David, and Ken and Carol's children, Heather and Catherine.

Jennie and Dick celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in July of 1996 and a short seven months later Dick passed away.

Jennie continued to live in the family home in Niagara, where she volunteered at the Senior's Boutique, was a regular at the Legion Bingo Hall and travelled independently to visit with her many friends and her family. Her illness in July 2001 at age 83 was sudden and unexpected. In August she went to stay with Ken and Carol in Kingston. She died peacefully in her sleep, on October 6, 2001, in Kingston, Ontario.

Jennie loved life and lived it to the fullest. Her last days were filled with family, letters to all of her old friends and making new friends in Kingston.

Jennie and Dick have been reunited again and rest peacefully at Fairview Cemetary in Niagara Falls, Ontario.