Obituary of Janet Elizabeth Fillatre Despres

It is with heartfelt sadness we announce the passing of Janet (Jann) Elizabeth Fillatre Despres, of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on February 24, 2023. Jann was a beloved mother, grandmother, godmother, sister, aunt, and friend. In recent years, she lived with courage, humour and love surrounded by her family, amazing caregiver, Gertrude Clark and the dedicated team at Vimy Court Enhanced Care Residence in Truro, NS. She is survived by her loving children, Rene Despres (Lisa) and Erin Despres (Chad Gray); grandchildren, Lilianna, Greyson, and Elle; sister, Jean Fillatre (Claude Lambert); nephews, Adam Bookholt (Trish Harkin) and Todd Bookholt, as well as her loyal family relatives. She is predeceased by her parents, Dorothy (Hancock) and Samuel Fillatre and her sister, Lyn (Bookholt-Findlay). Born on December 24, 1955, she was truly a Christmas gift to her sisters, Lyn and Jean. Growing up in Halifax, she attended LeMarchant Elementary, Cornwallis Junior High and Queen Elizabeth High schools. She graduated from the Nova Scotia Institute of Technology’s Dental Assisting Program and worked at Dalhousie University Dentistry and the IWK Health Centre Dentistry Departments for twenty years. This was followed by a second career at Bell Aliant. Jann loved spending time on Nova Scotia and New Brunswick beaches and was an avid gardener, decorator, traveller, and collector (yes, all kinds of things!). She also volunteered and loved writing witty poems, attending concerts, shopping and most importantly, celebrating special events with her family and friends from coast to coast. Although a rare form of early onset dementia robbed her of those precious moments, we will miss her wicked sense of humour and generous spirit. A celebration of life is planned for the summer of 2023. If you wish, donations are greatly appreciated in Jann’s name to the Nova Scotian Alzheimer’s Association (Posterior Cortical Atrophy), the ALS Society or the Nova Scotia Breast Cancer Society. In lieu of flowers, create a garden in remembrance.