ELAINE MARGARET JALA
Date de naissance : 15 octobre 1964
Date de décès : 8 octobre 2016
It is with overwhelming heartbreak and sadness that we, the family of Elaine Margaret Jala, announce the passing of this wonderful, loving woman who touched so many people during a life that was far too short. Elaine passed away suddenly at home on Oct.8, 2016. While we mourn our great loss, we do rejoice in the fact that Elaine is now with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Born Oct. 15, 1964 in Cheltenham, England, she was the daughter of Cyril and the late Shirley (Page) Green. Along with her father, Elaine is survived by her adoring husband and best friend, David; mother-in-law (her VMI), Mary Jala; brother-in-law, Michael Jala and special family friend, Kim O'Shaugnessy. She will also be tremendously missed by longtime friend, Judith Payne, of Wales, and the Boll family (Michel, Liesbeth and their children Bjorn, Yenthe and Nils), of the Netherlands. There are far too many other special people in Elaine's life to mention here, but know that she loved each and every one of you. Through her years as a daughter, a wife, a friend, a teacher, a human being, Elaine's beautiful personality touched countless people, young and old, near and far, from all walks of life. Her zest for life was infectious and her caring nature was evident to all. She was predeceased by her mother, Shirley in 2000; uncle, Peter Green in 2004; father-in-law, Thomas Jala in 2010 and 16-year-old Disraeli, the Siamese cat in 2012. Raised in Cheltenham, Elaine went on to study at Aberystwyth University and Cardiff University in Wales before moving on to a fulfilling career as a teacher. While on summer holiday with her father, Elaine met her beloved David in 2004 in the Canadian Rockies. Love blossomed quickly and they were married the next year. After some time in London England, they moved to Banff where they spent two and a half years before relocating to David's hometown of Sydney, N.S. Upon her arrival in Cape Breton, Elaine was in the right place at the right time and was part of the teaching staff at Munro Academy from its 2009 beginnings as the Cape Breton Christian School. She forged deep and lasting relationships with students, staff, parents and friends of the school. Elaine and David may not have had children of their own, but she loved kids and was a dedicated Sunday School teacher at Christ the King Anglican Church in Sydney. But her influence went far beyond church and school. She was the most loving and caring wife in the universe and on more than one occasion David has been heard to say "I won the lottery of life when I met Elaine". She may not have been the most athletic person, but that didn't stop her from doing the "Canadian thing" as she tried to learn to skate after she met David, though he likened her attempts to that of a "baby giraffe on ice". And, through Friday night darts at the Boisdale Fire Hall, Elaine formed an entirely new circle of friends from across the island. Indeed, she always looked forward to social events out in the country with her many friends. Those events were made even more special during her father Cyril's annual summer visits to the island. Elaine was also an accomplished musician. She turned her 19th century violin into a fiddle, was a proficient pianist and was in the process of learning to play the guitalele, an instrument she called her "git". It was not uncommon for her to host sessions, which included friends, food and wine, in her favourite sitting room that looks out over her "view of the sea." As much as she loved people, Elaine was also a cat person and leaves behind four furry beasties - Henrietta (The Woo Bear), The Smudge, The Ginger Menace, and Little Company, the first two being SPCA cats, the latter two were homeless cats she rescued from the streets. Elaine was a supporter of the local Feral and Abandoned Cat Society. Cremation has taken place and a gathering will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 7-9 p.m. at T.W. Curry Parkview Chapel, 755 George St., Sydney. A funeral service will take place Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. at Christ the King Anglican Church, 19 Trinity Ave., Sydney. In lieu of flowers, Elaine would be delighted with your support of the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be sent to Elaine’s family by visiting www.twcurry.com.
