Obituary

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 43, 20 February 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

Obituary

MISS JANET FORDYCE GKEIG.

A life of service for others was brought to a close at Palmerston North at midnight on Tuesday by the death of Miss Janet Fordyce Grei". Born at Lerwick, Shetland Islands, the late Miss Greig was the third daughter of the late Mr and Mrs David Greig, of Island Bay, Wellington, who arrived in the Dominion in 1874. Miss Greig received her education in Wellington and deciding to take up nursing as her profession was trained at the Wellington Hospital, and for a time was engaged in private nursing. She came to the Palmerston North Hospital in a relieving capacity before taking a permanent position, and for over 14 years, from 1908 to 1922, was assistant matron with Miss M. McLagan as matron. Many patients had reason to bless Miss Greig for her wonderful hands and she did fine work as Theatre sister for about twelve years, the quality of the work of the nurses who passed through her hands bearing testimony to her high standard of efficiency. Working in close association had brought deep friendship between Miss McLagan and Miss Greig and when Miss McLagan resigned the two decided to take a trip to the Old Country being away for 16 months

curing whicli time Miss Greig revisited the scenes of her childhood. Returning to the Dominion she rested for about a year, as her health was failing and then acted for a period *s dispenser at the Palmerston North hospital. Poor health necessitated another spell and the Palmerston North Hospital Board sent Miss Greig to Rotorua to recuperate, but this was of no avail and after being in rest homes in various centres she entered the chronic ward at Awapuni in October of last year. For the past nine years, she had been practically an invalid fortunately without suffering. An unfailing sense of humour made the late Miss Greig easily accessible although she was strict in the sense that she would not tolerate any slackness of discipline. Miss Greig was the possessor of a fine soprano voice and in her young days was one of Mr Robert Parker's star pupils and a valued member of St. Andrew's Church choir, (Wellington). There are left to mourn tho passing of Miss Greig a sister, Mrs K. S. Prosser, of Masterton, and two brothers, Mr W. Greig, of Wellington, and Mr G Greig, of Invercargill. At the funeral service at St. Andrew 's Church, at mid-day on Thursday, Rev. J. Hubbard, M.A., eulogised the life service Miss Greig had given in the cause of suffering humanity. The many floral tributes bore eloquent testimony of the esteem in which the deceased lady was held and included emblems from the Manawatu branch of the Registered Nurses' Association, associate nurses and the Palmerston North Hospital Board. Among those present at the service were Miss J. N. McGhie, Matron of the Palmerston North Hospital, Miss McLagan, and many associates. The cortege later left for the Kelvin Grove cemetery, the pall-bearers including Mr A. J. Phillipps, managingsecretary of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, Dr. R. Dolby, Mr F. Pegden and Mr J. Pegden.