GILFORD ---- Janice Ann ‘Pinky’ (Pinkman) DeGroot, of Gilford, NH, died from dementia on Friday, March 17, 2023, her favorite holiday, St. Patrick’s Day, with her loving husband of 58 years, Bob, by her side.
Jan was born on April 7, 1942, and grew up in Winthrop, MA.
As a child, she spent summers along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. She would fondly recall cherished time sleeping in canvas tents under the stars. Bob was her childhood sweetheart. After they married in 1965, they lived in many places but always returned to Lake Winnipesaukee. In 2004, they built her dream home, which she designed, in Lake Shore Park. It was her favorite place in the world.
Jan loved to read and travel, was a talented designer, painter, gardener, as well as an avid quilter. Her family, especially her grandchildren, will remember the exceptional ways she showed them love. Staging formal tea parties, being the first to arrive at birthday celebrations, taking daytrips to Boston to see the Nutcracker, and, most notably, hand-sewing elaborate Halloween costumes — everything Jan did was thoughtfully planned with exacting detail.
Always the first to volunteer, showing up to help family, friends, neighbors, and those in need was a steadfast belief by which she lived.
Along with her husband, Jan is survived by their three children, Pamela (Michael) Fish, David (Deborah) DeGroot, and Patricia (Kenneth) Laglenne, and seven grandchildren, Emily, Kaitlin, Ryan, Julia, Zachary, Allison, and Samantha. Jan is also survived by her sister, Jean (Thomas) Connelly. Jan was predeceased by her parents, Anna and James Pinkman of Winthrop, MA, and her brother, James.
Private services will be held.
In lieu of flowers, donations to either of Jan’s chosen charities, Humble Grunt Work, https://www.humblegruntwork.org or the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516, will be gratefully honored.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services and 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit www.wilkinsonbeane.com.