Obituary of Jeannette Mary Tannis

It is with shattered hearts that we share the news that our Sister in Faith, mother, grandmother, Auntie, confidant and friend Jeannette Mary Tannis died suddenly and unexpectedly on the evening of September 27th, 2018. We are grateful to share that she did so peacefully We believe in her sleep. She had enjoyed her cup of late evening tea, had retired from the day with preparations for the next well in hand. Seated on her always welcoming couch, with her feet up on the coffee table, her beloved CBC news sharing the hopes and worries of the day, in her cozy home, she died. To say that we are devastated goes without saying, but we take joy knowing this is exactly the way she would have chosen to exit this mortal coil.

Jeannette was tenacious, witty, feisty, always interested in others and listened deeply to the hurts of others. In her own struggles to find balance between herself, spirit and body, she learned to glean wisdom from the pains and discomfort she experienced. When it would have been understandable for her to resent the world in all of the challenges she confronted in her seventy-year journey, she modelled ways to be light in the midst of shadows. Where others might see cynicism as a response to a troubling world, she saw hope. Where other might be angry, she offered love. When some of us might have withdrawn, she built and knitted community.

Jeannette was a writer, poet and woman of deep faith. Though always a spiritual seeker and questioner, she found her way into The United Church of Canada as the new millennium dawned. In this faith community, she celebrated the expansive nature of inclusion and preference for justice. She was inspired by the diversity of the various faith communities she graced across the country. In each of these places, she brought the intention to foster relationships that went deep, rippled with laughter and transformed people into kin.

Jeannette leaves behind her son, Richard and daughter-in-law, Shelly, loving family in London, niece and Goddaughter Chanda, nephew Derek, and brothers Ernie, Ralph and Mitch. She leaves us in this place of celebration and lament and joins her mother Patricia and her treasured feline companion Brittany.

There are no words to make this right – there is no song that will sing this well, but we are emboldened by her generosity and compassion. We aspire to continue to bear the light that she offered to a hurting world with the same playful, honest and groundedness that she modelled.

A service of celebration will be held on her birthday: October 29th at 2 PM atSt. Paul’s United Church (Saskatoon). If you would like to offer a gift in her memory please consider Sydenham Street United Church (Kingston, ON), Little Britain United Church (Lockport, MB), St. Andrew’s College (Saskatoon) and/or St. Paul’s United Church (Saskatoon).

Life is eternal; 
Love is immortal; 
And death is only a horizon; 
And a horizon is nothing 
save the limit of our sight. 
Rossiter Worthington Raymond