Laconia-----Mary Elizabeth Janik, 93, of 47 Orchard Street, died at St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Friday, June 26, 2015.
Mary was born in Westfield, Massachusetts on July 31, 1921, the youngest of ten children of the late Thomas J. Adams and Anne (Rumin) Adams . She graduated Westfield Mass. High School and Westfield State College with a B.S.E. in 1943, summa cum laude. She earned both a Master's degree in education and a C.A.G.S., a certificate of advance degree in psychology, equivalent to a doctorate, from Westfield State College in Massachusetts.
Mary's educational career included being a master teacher for students at Westfield State College, who were doing their student teaching with her as their master teacher. She loved the students. It was a privilege to be part of their young careers in the teaching field. She loved all the "kids" always keeping her smiling and happy.
After teaching almost forty years in the Westfield, Mass. school system, Mary and her late husband spent 17 winter seasons in Venice, Florida, the paradise of the West Coast. She loved walking the beach looking for fossils, mainly sharks' teeth, Venice being the sharks' teeth capital of the West Coast. She was a daily communicant of the Epiphany Cathedral in Venice and was also associated with the Health and Hospice Bereavement Group in Venice, Florida.
Mary's interests were out-door living, camping, yard work,
particularly flowers, and enjoying the sun. She enjoyed reading, mainly spiritual, knitting, crocheting, and being a companion to the elderly. She loved walking to church daily with Mary O'Neil Victor, a wonderful compamon.
Mary was a member of St. Joseph Church in Laconia for many years
since 1984 as a resident. She was a reader at the altar for a long time, and was also a member of the visitors of the sick of the parish and visited the sick in the hospital and Genesis Nursing Home. She was with Health and Hospice of Laconia for a short but fulfilling time.
Survivors include two sons, Peter T. Janik, Sr. and wife, Deborah, of Sparks, Maryland, Joseph J. Janik, Jr. and wife, Nancy, of Boca Raton, Florida and Thomas J. Janik, Sr. and wife, Lynn, of Chesterfield, Massachusetts; seven grandchildren, Zachary, Andrew and Stefan, of Sparks, Maryland and Cooper of Boca Raton, Florida and Thomas Jr.
and Brooke of Chesterfield, Massachusetts and Lia Holbrook of San Antonio, Texas. Mary was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Janik, Sr., by her nine siblings and by a grandsons , Peter T. Janik, Jr. and Joshua Janik.
There will be no calling hours.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Andre Bessette Parish – St. Joseph’s Church in Laconia at a later date.
Private burial for Joseph Janik, Sr. and Mary E. Janik will be in the
Adams family plot in St. Mary's Cemetery in Westfield, Mass. at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to St. John Paul XXIII Seminary (for delayed vocations), 127 Lake St., Brighton, Mass. 02135.
Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge of the arrangements.