Janet Rourke Schwob

It is with pride we share the story of our mom and grandmother, our beloved "Janet Girl", with the Light the Night community as London’s 2026 Remembered Honoured Hero.

We chose this photo of her in her nursing cap, because she was incredibly proud to be a RN. She also was a daughter, a sister to five brothers, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a friend.

Our mom was a truly wonderful woman whose life was rooted in love, kindness, and an unwavering devotion to family. As the only sister among five brothers, she cherished her unique role and embraced it wholeheartedly. She adored her brothers, cared deeply for their spouses, and remained a loving and devoted sister throughout her life. She was equally devoted to her parents, always putting family first and leading by example through her compassion and generosity.

Mom possessed a wonderful sense of humour, an infectious zest for life, and a remarkable ability to see the good in everyone she met. Her support was steadfast and unconditional. When our dad passed away in 1980, she faced the enormous challenge of raising my brother DJ and me on her own. Through her strength, grace, and boundless love, she made sure we never felt alone, afraid, or lacking in support.

Caring for others was who she was.

It was no surprise that she chose nursing as her profession. For so many family members and friends, she became the trusted "go-to" nurse, especially when nieces and nephews faced childhood surgeries and illnesses. People sought her comfort, wisdom, and care because they knew she would always be there. For 40 years, Janet worked as a nurse, dedicating her life to helping people when they needed it most. She cared for everyone from newborn babies to veterans at Parkwood Hospital. Caring for others was simply who she was.

One of her favourite highlights from her nursing career was serving as team nurse for the Montreal Canadiens and the Montreal Alouettes. She was a lifelong hockey fan. GO HABS Go!

Mom loved bringing people together. She was famous for her Christmas open houses, where family, friends, neighbours, and newcomers always felt welcomed. She had a special gift for helping people feel at home. This was especially evident in the support she provided to visiting physicians and their families as they settled in London. Through her kindness, our family developed relationships with people from around the world, many of whom we still consider family today. She cherished her friendships.

Her welcoming spirit extended even further as she opened her home to international students who came to London to learn English. Through these experiences, she taught us the importance of embracing people from all cultures and backgrounds and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

Mom also made sure we knew how to have fun. She was the quintessential hockey and skating mom, spending countless hours at arenas, volunteering on school trips as the resident medical professional, and creating memories that still make us laugh today. She was adventurous and open-minded, always willing to say "yes" to new experiences. That included allowing us to adopt dogs, cats, a dozen chickens as pets and even welcoming our rooster, Charlie, into the house when he developed pneumonia.

She was incredibly talented and creative. Her knitting and sewing skills brought joy to countless family members over the years. She lovingly created beautiful dresses and outfits for nieces and nephews, and her smocking work was especially admired.

Family was always at the heart of everything she did. She took great pride in our family heritage and worked hard to keep family traditions alive. She made sure the Rourke family reunions continued, from the early gatherings at the cottage in Vermont to the cherished reunions we now enjoy in Bayfield. She understood that family connections were precious and worth nurturing.

After retiring, Janet checked a dream off her bucket list with a three-month trip to New Zealand. When she returned, she couldn't shake the fatigue. Then one morning she noticed her leg was swollen. As a nurse, she knew something wasn't right. She went straight to her doctor and was sent to the emergency department. She was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis, which seemed like a reasonable explanation after such a long flight.

What started as a blood clot led to further testing and a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

In true Janet fashion, her first response was humour. She joked that NHL made perfect sense because hockey was her favourite sport.

She endured chemotherapy, serious side effects, infections, fractures, and some very difficult days and more than a couple close calls. Janet was supported by her family, her friends, and an extraordinary healthcare team at St. Joseph’s Healthcare London, who walked beside her every step of the way.

And because of that treatment, because of research, and because of advances in cancer care, we were gifted something priceless:

Fifteen more years.

Fifteen more years of family memories.

Fifteen more years of laughter.

Fifteen more years of adventures.

Fifteen more years allowed her to become the world's best “GranJan”.

Janet believed in science, evidence-based care, and helping others. She would absolutely want us to continue supporting research that saves lives and improves outcomes for future generations.

There are far too many stories to tell about a woman who embodied grace, compassion, resilience, and love. She taught us that family matters, friendships are precious, and kindness should always guide our actions. She treated everyone with dignity and respect and touched more lives than we will ever fully know.