I met Janet Connolly when I got my first REAL job. My first impression was that she would be one of those tough supervisors. But as I got to work with her and as time passed, I got to know her well. And as it turns out, Janet had a heart of gold.
She may have given people the wrong impression because she sometimes appeared to be grumpy. Its just that she had had a hard live. Really, Janet was like a rose - once you got past the thorn, you smelled the sweet fragrance and felt the soft petals.
Throughout the years, I got to know her more. She loved her daughter and grandsons SO much. We shared many laughs - she was really funny and FUN to be with. She was very honest, and never one to talk behind someone's back. She was very talented: she made pottery, painted, knitted and was an amazing Supervisor at work. She called her underlings her "girls" and she took care of us like daughters. We also found out that she was an amazing dancer - she really knew how to get her groove on!
To our shock, Janet was diagnosed with cancer early in 2009. We, her girls from the office, witnessed how cancer slowly took her away from us. It was as painful to watch her die as it must have been to receive treatment.
I thank God I was able to tell her how important she was to me and what an impact she made on my life.
On Monday, December 21, 2009, my friend Janet lost her battle with cancer. My heart aches at the loss of such an amazing woman. A woman of dignity and character. A woman with a heart of gold. A delicate pink rose.
Richmond Hill, Canada
