Janet MacDonald, 78, a lifelong proud New Englander, most recently of Westborough, MA, died peacefully on the morning of October 15, 2021, in Leominister, MA. She was born in St. Johnsbury, VT, on March 8, 1943.
Janet’s family moved from St. Johnsbury to Bennington, VT, when she was 11 and she attended public schools there graduating from Bennington High School, class of 1961. Following her natural artistic talent she moved to Boston to attend the New England School of Art and Design. Upon graduation she accepted a position at Arthur Blank & Company where she remained her entire working career as director of the Art Department.
Janet enjoyed cooking and entertaining friends and family and never missed attending a family gathering or celebration, regardless of the drive, and could be counted on to bring her special deviled eggs, plus two or three other offerings. She joyfully served as the family historian and curator. As Aunt Janet she often took her nieces and nephews (one or more) on summer trips to such places as Disney World and the national parks of South Dakota, Wyoming, Arizona and California.
In addition to her professional design talent, she was gifted in woodworking, crafting, sewing, and furniture refinishing among many others. She was also an avid birder often enjoying the serenity and natural wonderment of coastal New England, especially the state park and National Preserve on Plum Island, Mass.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Vivian and Randall MacDonald, and older brother Bruce and his sons Randy and Stephen. She is survived by younger brother Dale and his wife Maureen of Shaftsbury, VT, and younger sister Judy Garrison and her husband Dave currently residing in Arcadia, FL. She is also survived by, perhaps her most cherished of relations, her nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews: Allison Walker of Winchester, VA; Scott Petty (Tina) and their children Marissa, Zachery and Trevor of Marlborough, MA; Janet Petty of Saco, ME, and her son Brandon Sparks (Amanda) and their new daughter Beverly of Buxton, ME; Angela Tremblay (Christian) and their children Hayden, Kylan and Jovan of Rutland, MA; John MacDonald (Tessa) and their children Regina and Sean of Shaftsbury, VT and USCG petty officer Riley MacDonald (Machaila) of Pasadena, MD; and Judy Lamoureaux and her children Cole, Payton and Evan of North Bennington, VT. In addition she is survived by her Uncle Dexter and Aunt Marylou Stafford of Littleton, NH, and their children Ron, Lorraine, Brian and Bill.