Obituary of Janet Skinner Eldridge

Mrs. Janet Skinner Elderidge, of Sussex, New Brunswick, passed away at the Sussex Health Centre on June 8, 2024. Born in Scotland, on December 12, 1924, she was the daughter of the late James and Elsie (Milne) Mackenzie.

Janet was born in 1924, in Beath, Scotland. She moved to Canada in 1925 with her parents and older brother. She attended school in New Brunswick and after graduation was a member of the RCAF serving during WWII with the RCAF as a LAW. She was also an accountant and a library technician specializing in governmental publications.

In 1952 she married Keith Eldridge, an artist, and lived in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and China.

In 1955 she became a member of the Baha'i Faith and has been active in both regional and local areas. She attended both the 1963 and the 1992 Baha'i World Congresses. She was very interested in equality and the rights of the individual and during her lifetime served on the following organizations: Business and Professional Women, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Chinese Cultural Association, Indian and non-Indian Friendship Association, John Howard Society, Laubach Literacy, Multicultural Association of Fredericton, New Brunswick Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, UNICEF, Union of New Brunswick Indians, United Nations Association and the Voice of Women.

On her retirement, the university library set up the Janet Eldridge award for excellence. In 1995 she was given a Global Citizen award in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the formation of the United Nations. Since her retirement and moving to Sussex, she has been active in Read Sussex, Contact Women, volunteered at the Sussex Public Library, and has assisted other organizations. She enjoyed travelling and had been across Canada several times and visited the United Kingdom, United States, China, Iceland and Israel. She also attended the NGO Conference on Women in Huiraou and Beijing in 1995.

Janet is survived by her several nieces and nephews and was the last survivng member of her family.

Besides her parents, and husband, Keith, Janet was predeceased her brothers: James, Donald George, and Roderick; and by her sisters: Jean Mackenzie, Elsie Mitton, and Anne Bennett.  

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Wallace Funeral Home, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Sussex, (506-433-1176), from where the family will be receiving relatives and friends on Saturday, June 15 from 11am-1pm. Funeral Service will follow from the Wallace Memorial Chapel at 1:00pm (service will be livestreamed at www.wallacefuneralhome.com). Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.

Donations in memory of Janet to the memorial of the donor’s choice would be appreciated by the family. Donations and condolences may be made at www.wallacefuneralhome.com