Jeanette Josephine Melanson (aka Jeanne, Jeanie, Babchi, Granny) passed peacefully at 88 years in her sleep early on the morning of Monday, April 5th, 2021. She was the beloved wife of 60 years of her deceased husband, Dennis J. Melanson. She is survived by her sister Verne Kaminski of Weare, NH; her brother Joseph Kaminski and his wife Dianne Kaminski of Norwood, MA; her children Christine Pierson of Falmouth, MA, Michael Melanson and his wife Heather Reichert of Acton, MA, Paul Melanson and his wife Tanya (Tumbridge) Melanson of Franklin, MA, and Denise (Melanson) Hyland and her husband Jason Hyland of Granville, MA. Jeanette had four granddaughters, Julia, Caroline and Eva Melanson of Franklin, MA and Jade Hyland of Granville, MA.
Jeanette was born on July 6, 1932 and grew up in Everett, MA and Newton, MA and summered with family and many family friends at the Kaminski Kamp on Lake Maspenock in Hopkinton, MA. After completing high school, she worked as an administrative assistant at Hermes Electronics where she met her husband Dennis and they married in June of 1960. They soon moved to Westwood, MA where they raised their family and lived through their retirement.
Jeanette was energetic and was very creative. She mastered many diverse skills and crafts such as sewing, macrame, sand art, upholstery, decoupage, finishing furniture, gardening and jewelry making. Her real passion was antiques and collectibles. Over the years she attended hundreds of garage/yard sales, auctions, flea markets and trade shows where she bought and sold various goods including glassware, pottery, art, furniture and jewelry to name a few. In the end, her favorites turned out to be paperweights and especially dolls. Jeanette made many, many lifelong friends while buying, collecting and selling and she also managed to make a handsome amount of spending money at the same time!
Jeanette was a devoted, loving Wife, Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Aunt and Friend. She was always kind and was capable of deep sympathy and understanding. She enjoyed talking to anyone and made friends everywhere she went. She was a favorite of her caregivers at Benchmark Senior Living and Compassionate Care Hospice who we are indebted to for making her last few months as peaceful, pain free and comfortable as possible. She will be terribly missed.
In consideration of our loved ones’ safety, there will be no viewing, however, relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral mass on Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 10:00 AM in Saint Mary’s Parish, 1 Church Square, Franklin, MA. For those unable to attend in person, the mass may be viewed online at by clicking on stmarysfranklin.org
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Lung Association in Jeanette’s name at https://action.lung.org/site/Donation2?df_id=31272&mfc_pref=T&31272.donation=form1.