Janet R. (McCrohan) Tschaen, 85, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2014, after a long illness. Born in New Bedford , the daughter of the late Dr. Joseph and Hazel (Duffy) McCrohan, she was a lifelong city resident. Janet was a graduate of New Bedford High School (class of 1946) and worked in the laboratory of Berkshire Hathaway, after receiving her degree from New Bedford Institute of Technology (now UMass Dartmouth). After raising her children, she attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and was very proud to have been a teacher in the New Bedford Public Schools, teaching many children how to read, and retiring from the former Ottiwell School. She was an accomplished knitter, and those lucky enough to own one of her wonderful creations, know that every stitch was made by hand and created with love. She also enjoyed crossword puzzles and was hard to beat at a good game of Scrabble! Janet had a very sharp wit and she enjoyed sharing jokes with many family & friends. She also loved music, especially The Irish Tenors and The Harpoon Harmonizers, and played the piano in her younger days. She was also an excellent swimmer and some of her most cherished memories were of spending days at local beaches with her own children and many more from her beloved south end neighborhood.
Janet is survived by her children, JoAnn Tschaen & Daniel Tschaen, both of New Bedford, David Tschaen and his wife, Patti of Holmdel, NJ, and Pamela Ellis and her husband Ron of Mattapoisett. She was also the proud Grandmother of Ryan Costello of Los Angeles, California, Brittany Tschaen of Philadelphia, Brendan Tschaen of New Jersey and Bradley Ellis of Mattapoisett. She is also survived by two sisters, Nancy Dalrymple of Milford, MA and Joanna Kusnierz of Ludlow, MA, and several beloved nieces & nephews, along with many lifelong friends and neighbors.
Her visiting hours will be held on Sunday, April 6th from 2-4 PM with a prayer service at 3 PM during the visiting hours in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. Interment at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations in her honor be made to Trips for Kids (224 Brock Ave. New Bedford, MA 02744) or to the charity of one’s choice.
A cardinal is a representative of a loved one who has passed. When you see one, it means they are visiting you. They usually show up when you most need them or miss them. They also make an appearance during times of celebration as well as despair to let you know they will always be with you.
Look for them, they'll appear.
“Grief is like the wake behind a boat. It starts out as a huge wave that follows close behind you and is big enough to swamp and drown you if you suddenly stop moving forward. But if you do keep moving, the big wake will eventually dissipate. And after a long enough time, the waters of your life get calm again, and that is when the memories of those who have left begin to shine as bright and as enduring as the stars above.”
From: “A Salty Piece of Land”, by Jimmy Buffett