More than 60 people packed a room to honour the memory of a woman beaten to death and left for dead on the streets of Whalley.
Janice Shore was laid to rest on Friday morning at the Avalon Surrey Funeral Home, providing closure to family and friends after her violent death.
Pastor MaryAnne Connor spoke right away about the “elephant in the room,” regarding the need for meaningful justice to be meted out to those responsible for Shore’s death.
Connor also drew parallels between Shore’s life and her own – being the star in their Daddy’s eye, losing him too early in life, and dealing with the emotional fallout from there.
All three of Shore’s children were at the ceremony, as were her sister and two brothers.
Shore died Feb. 18 after being found badly beaten in a vacant lot in Whalley on Dec. 2.
Connor challenged the crowd to take the tragedy seriously and think about how society can better raise awareness about violence against women, mental illness, addiction, poverty and homelessness.
“We need to find a solution, and can’t give up until we do,” Connor said after the service, “so that her death is not in vain.”
Connor said it would be Shore’s wish that some good would come out of her death.
After the service, the group gathered at NightShift Street Ministries for an open mic celebration of Shore’s life.
