Jan

In loving memory

If I could bottle for you
The essence that was Jan
I’d have to take you by the hand
To show where she began

The eldest of two children
Beloved, yet brought up straight
Through honest work and hard graft
She learned how to create

Her mind as quick as silver
Her tongue as sharp as knives
Young Janice made her mischief
Pulling wool, her best disguise

Whilst Mum and Dad were ‘out out’
Leaving her to care for John
Jan would nip to meet her mates
They never knew she’d gone

One night they almost caught her
Walking up from Micklegate
Jan had mistimed last orders
Had to leg it or be late!

Jan loved York’s busy nightlife
A real-life dancing queen
In Brummels or Cat’s Whiskers
She knew how to be seen

Jan never lost her glamour
Or her love of high-end brands
Later on, her tattoos would turn heads
On Caribbean sands

Jan always had a presence
Her energy filled a room
Fiercely protective of those she loved
If crossed, she sealed your doom

As for her love of nature
The animals she adored
Jan had no time for cruelty
Its perpetrators, she abhorred

Her beloved dogs and horses
A large part of Jan’s life
Benji Bobbins sparked a business –
Jan’s creativity ran rife

There are so many layers
To carefully unwrap
For Jan had many talents
Number one – she took no crap!

Her beauty skills were legend
Her clients would agree
For Jan took time to listen
Treating all with dignity

Jan’s cycling was a passion
She did not flinch from hills
Her time as Biker Beryl
Brought much laughter, sun and thrills

Another side to Janice
Was an intuitive gift
She loved to read the Tarot
And could make cards move and shift

Moho -ing brought adventure
And a licence to explore
Each coastal route and woodland
Nighttime gin drunk by the shore

Jan never lost connection
With her loving Mum and Dad
Her belief in their presence
Offered strength when times were bad

Jan’s love for her family
Her granddaughter and son
Was the most deeply guarded
Lined with pride for all they’ve done

Those of you here who knew Jan
Saw the courage she portrayed
She rarely was defeated
From a diamond, she was made

Her heart of gold was something
She did not, to strangers, show
But once you’d won her trust
Her kindness let you know

Jan did not have a smooth path
Yet she lived life to the full
Her need for freedom shaped her
She turned her back on all things dull

I guess that at Jan’s centre
Was a spirit, brave and strong
Who believed in truth and justice
And stood against what’s wrong

So, if I could bottle for you
The essence that was Jan
I’d use courage, love and mischief
A unique Penhaligon’s