Born: January 19th, 1950, in Hobart, Australia
Passed Away: April 12th, 2025, in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Jana was the daughter of Vernon and Edna Lynch and the beloved wife of Brian Vike. She was the loving stepmother of Jamie Vike, Tami Riley, and her husband Kelsey Riley. She was also the devoted grandmother of Hannah Riley and Connor Riley.
Jana and Brian may have been one of the first internet romances, meeting online 26 years ago and remaining devoted to each other ever since. Jana took a chance and left Australia, moving to Houston, British Columbia, to be with Brian on November 10th, 1999. Jana often said she could not understand how Canadians could be afraid of *our* tiny spiders. In Australia, she kept a towel next to her in her car to smother giant spiders that could hide under the sun visor or other likely spots while she was driving.
Jenna loved (almost) all animals, both Australian and Canadian. Part of the reason she came to Canada was to see the moose and the bears. She made friends with the Canadian wildlife, and large herds of deer would visit her backyard every day. She did, however, end up getting bit by a squirrel that mistook the end of her finger for a peanut. Some of Jana’s favorite things about living in Houston were the snow and the bears… oh, and Brian. Jana loved her dogs deeply; they were a big part of her life. We would like to include all of them here, both living and otherwise: Boswell (the Sheepdog), Wilbur (who emigrated to Canada with Jana), Chewy, and Diesel, all of whom are now reunited with Jana. Also, Peanut, who is missing her mom very much.
Jana was a strong-willed person who enjoyed people, wildlife, and the outdoors. She faced diabetes and later kidney failure bravely for many years, which made it difficult to enjoy these things, but she found happiness in the things she loved whenever she could.
Jana and her family would like to thank the Kamloops North Shore dialysis team for the thoughtful care and friendship they provided over the years. They went above and beyond their jobs and made life better by letting their patients into their lives, sharing laughter and tears. Thank you so much.
As per Jana’s wishes, there will be no formal memorial service. However, for those who would like to honor her memory, donations to the Kamloops SPCA would be greatly appreciated.
Condolences may be sent to the family at
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com