She had fought a two-year battle against a rare form of cancer.
The daughter of Albert and Dorothy Faulkner, Janet was born in Rossendale but spent her first five years living in Accrington and Littleborough, where her father served as a police officer until his sudden death aged 32.
Following her father’s death, Janet’s family moved to Balladen village, Rawtenstall to be near to her grandparents’ farm and she lived there until her marriage to Steven in November 1973.
Janet leaves Steven, son Simon and daughter Rachel as well as six grandchildren whom she loved dearly. She also leaves her mother Dorothy and brother Jonathan.
Janet was educated at Balladen Primary School and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.
In the 1970s and 80s she was a well-known member of staff in the Rossendale library service, before retraining at Burnley General Hospital as a Registered General Nurse. During this time while still in her early thirties, Janet became one of the youngest people to be accepted for training as a marriage guidance counsellor, which she did on a voluntary basis while bringing up a young family.
In 1993 Janet left the NHS and did a degree in Psychology at the University of Bolton and in 1996 graduated with a double first.
After obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling, in 1999 Janet began work as a fertility counsellor at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester for several years.
Since 2002 Janet had been employed as a BACP accredited counsellor, counselling supervisor and senior counsellor for the East Lancashire Mental Health Trust, working in the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, before retiring in July 2011 as a result of her illness.
Janet was a well-known member of the Village Health Club in Bury where she had many friends.
Janet’s interest in yoga, mindfulness and oriental philosophy formed a key part of her approach to her personal and working life and fed into her innate ability to connect with people in a deeply empathetic and spiritual way.
Janet’s positive attitude to life, her illness and her treatment was an inspiration and example to everyone who came in contact with her.
A service celebrating her life was conducted by David Ireland at St Mary’s Chambers, Rawtenstall, on Wednesday, February 1 followed by interment at Haslingden Cemetery.
Donations to East Lancs Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support will be gratefully received via Johnson Durning and Woods Funeral Services of Haslingden.
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