Former CLCA president Janet Merry passes away

Former Canadian Ladies Curling Association president and Canadian Curling Hall of Fame member Janet Merry has passed away. Merry, 85, passed peacefully on Aug. 17.
Former CLCA president Janet Merry.

Former CLCA president Janet Merry.

Merry was a longtime member of the Bridgetown Curling Club in Nova Scotia, first joining in 1953, and spending countless hours behind the scenes to help the sport grow in her hometown and her home province. She also was an accomplished player, participating in the provincial women’s playdowns on 10 occasions in addition to two appearances at the provincial senior women’s championship. After more than a decade of service with the Bridgetown club, Merry moved on to join the Nova Scotia Ladies Curling Association in 1967 as second vice-president, and then served as president in 1971. Four years later, she joined the executive of the Canadian Ladies Curling Association as second vice-president, and served as president in 1977. During that time, she represented Canada at various international curling meetings that led to the introduction of the World Women’s Curling Championship in 1979. She also was the first female member of the Seagram Canadian Mixed Curling Championship policy committee. Her years of service to the sport earned her the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977, and two years later, she was honoured with a Sport Nova Scotia service award. Merry was named to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1983, and to the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. To view her obituary, click here.