Jean passed away suddenly on August 8, 2020 at the age of 86.
She will be missed by her nephew Brian Ross (Delane) and her nieces Elaine Ross and Laurie Ross as well as many friends.
Jean was born in Vancouver on October 21, 1933. Her middle name was chosen to recognize Cairine Wilson, the first woman appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1930. The family moved to Kamloops when Jean was a child due to health issues for her older brother Gordon. Jean fondly remembered her childhood in Kamloops and especially her time with her father, Sime Ross. She shadowed him everywhere and helped him with his errands as he had lost a leg at Passchendaele.
Jean graduated from Kamloops High School and attended Mount Royal College in Calgary, graduating in 1954. After working with J.R. Pyper for a short time, Jean joined Ian Clark at Radio Station CFJC in 1955.
As partners they founded CFCR-TV (now CFJC-TV) in 1957, one of North America's first small-market TV operations. They then extended service throughout the Thompson-Cariboo area via seven re-broadcasting stations. They also founded CFFM-FM, Kamloops' first FM station, in the early 60s and built Broadcast Centre on Columbia Street West.
For many years Jean worked as a CBC news photographer taking 16 mm film of events in the area. If there was a news-worthy story, they would send the film to CBC in Vancouver. Hockey was a dominant sport in the area, with the local team reaching the Memorial Cup, so sending sports and news stories to CBC became a regular occurrence. One story, the last sailing of the steamer "Lady Minto" on the Arrow Lakes, not only made it to the full CBC Network but also was carried on the full CBS Network in the U.S.
Jean remained with Broadcast Centre until selling her interests in 1970 and moved to Vancouver to join Rudd, Goold & Elliott, Chartered Accountants. In 1981 this firm merged with Price Waterhouse and shortly thereafter, Jean was asked to transfer to the Price Waterhouse national office in Toronto. Jean retired in 1992 and returned to Vancouver to look after her mother who was not well.
We will greatly miss her love and kindness, her generous nature and her interest in the people around her. She loved connecting with people and getting to know them.
