March 12, 1952–October 9, 2015
On October 9, 2015, our beloved wife, sister and aunt passed away after being airlifted to St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, after a very sudden illness which has surprised us all.
Born March 12, 1952, to John William Bailey and Dr. Edna Mae MacInnis in Hamilton, Ontario, she spent her early years living in Ancaster, then Dundas, Ontario. Jann leaves her husband, Alan Stephenson; her sisters, Cheryl (Tom) Horn, London, Ontario, and Beth Austin, Waitsfield; her brother, Doug (Cheri) Bailey, Pritchard, British Columbia; and her nieces and nephews, Lise Crawford, Suzanne Horn, R.J. Austin, Chris Austin, Cole Bailey and Jesse Bailey.
Known throughout Canada as the executive director of the Kamloops Art Gallery, her accomplishments were vast. She received the Governor General’s Canada 125 Award in 1992, the Y Women of Distinction Award in 1995, and the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 2003, was named co-commissioner for the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005 (Italy), named Fellow of the Canadian Museums Association in 2008 and received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts and Letters, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, in 2008 and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, Government of Canada Award in 2013.
Jann was appointed to well over a dozen government and non-government positions throughout her career including the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, the British Columbia Arts Council and, most recently, the Vancouver Foundation. She also was the past president of the Canadian Museums Association and Canadian Art Museum Directors. Published many times in national and international magazines dealing with the arts and as a guest lecturer throughout British Columbia, her life was dedicated to the love of art and bringing awareness of the social and economic value of supporting art.
Jann graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto, Ontario, and Sarah Lawrence College, New York (French Campus/Lacoste), and prior to moving to Kamloops in 1987 she taught at Fleming College, Peterborough, Ontario, from 1984 to 1987.
Leisure time found Jann in her garden where she systematically changed to growing flowers that were edible, wandering the farmer’s market in town on a Saturday morning, creatively cooking wonderful meals and, prior to her initial health problems, traveling extensively around the world for pleasure and business.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 24, at 11 a.m. at the Coast Hotel Theater, 1250 Roger Way, Kamloops, BC V1S 1N5.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations to the Kamloops Art Gallery be given in her honor at Kamloops Art Gallery 101-465 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A9. Condolences may be expressed to the family from www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com.
