Janet Mary Heitanen (nee Hussey), age 71 years, passed away, after a four-month struggle in various hospitals, peacefully on May 6, 2025, at St Joseph’s Hospital’s Hospice Unit, with family by her side.
Janet was born on November 7, 1953, in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. She worked as a Registered Nurse all of her working life until her career was ended by a drunk driver in Sept 1999. After that, Janet was unable to work due to her disabilities as a result of the accident inside the Sault Ste Marie Hospital. Janet continued to enjoy life by spending her time sewing and machine embroidering for friends and her grandkids and working in her raised flower beds around the house. Janet enjoyed travelling in our RVs to all of the Canadian provinces and all but four states of the United States meeting many new people and seeing our wonderful countries. She also enjoyed going to Gold Canyon, AZ every winter to visit with friends and escape the cold damp weather for her comfort while dealing with psoriatic arthritis.
Janet worked at the Royal Ottawa and Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario hospitals in Ottawa, the Calgary Foothills Hospital and then the Sault Area Hospital all in pediatrics. She was working in ophthalmology when her career was ended by the drunk driver in Sault Ste Marie.
Janet will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her devoted and loving husband of 30 years, Bill Heitanen, proud mother of sons Brian (Sherrie-Lee) Petrie and Robert Petrie, Rosita Plaza, grandchildren Gabriel and Hope Petrie, her brother Stephen Hussey (Cathy) and her sister Tricia Blay (Marck) and affectionately remembered by many nieces and nephews.
Janet was predeceased by her parents Wilfrid and Marjorie Hussey, and her older sister Anne Rutkauskas (Jim).
The family of Janet would like to thank Dr. Ward and Dr. Simpson from the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital and Dr. Bussuony and Dr. Migay of St Joseph Hospice Unit for their wonderful care and compassion. We would also like to thank the wonderful nurses at St Joseph’s Hospice for their compassion and care of Janet and her family members during a very difficult time in our lives.
Funeral Services for Janet will be held in the R. Leino Memorial Chapel, Harbourview Funeral Centre on Saturday, June 14, 2025, presided by Fr. Rey Ronquillo at 11:00 a.m. Visitation for family and friends will be held one hour prior to the service. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be streamed live at www.harbourviewfuneral.ca where condolences may be offered as well.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Thunder Bay Humane Society, Our Kids Count or Hospice Northwest.