HUDSON FALLS – On November
4th, Janet Eleanor Everts Benoit, 84, of Harrison Avenue of Hudson Falls,
passed away from breast cancer at the Glens Falls Hospital following a short
and brave battle. She was born February 1st, 1939, in Seattle, Washington, to
the former Eva Johnson and Robert Everts, originally from Bismarck, North
Dakota. Bob was Bismarck’s rich kid who married the prettiest girl in town,
Eva, and took her West, where Janet and her brother Jim were born. After Robert proved to be a real cad and bad at high-stakes
cards, Eva divorced him. Pearl Harbor survivor Leo Weston married Eva
and was father to Janet, her brother Jim, and later her little brother Jack,
and baby sister Carrie Jean.
Janet graduated from
Watertown High, Class of 1957. She attended nursing school, which commenced a
lifelong interest and career in nursing and adult care.
Janet met Joseph Benoit
during his service in the US Army at Fort Drum, and on April 1st, 1967, April
Fools Day, they married in Hudson Falls at the former St. Paul’s Church, also known as “The French Church.” They
were married for almost fifty years before Joe passed away in 2014.
At various points in her career, Janet
worked as an airline stewardess, waitress, assistant to her paperboy kids,
homemaker, caregiver, and the owner of Benoit Adult Home.
There are so many words we could use
to describe Janet Everts Benoit. During her career and life, the haters and
believers called her sassy, bossy, crazy, or worse. In today’s culture, someone
may instead call her assertive, free-spirited, engaged, and passionate. She was
undoubtedly eccentric, loud, indomitable, funny, and if irritated, you would
get an earful. Jan was also loving, giving, and a successful woman business
owner in an era when that was an exception. She was to us a sister, mom, aunt,
friend, provider, leader, and Gramma. She was undoubtedly one of her kind; many
of these traits survive in her family and descendants.
Janet was raised in a proud military
family and married into another. She spent time in Seattle during the Second
World War, at the time a critical military base in the Battle for the Pacific.
Janet visited California three times, once driving cross-country from Los
Angeles to NY in a LaSalle automobile.
Later, she and the family took two train rides from Chicago to LA on the El
Capitan. With her husband Joseph, Janet visited Paris, France, Munich, Germany,
Salzburg, Austria, and the Caribbean. She loved traveling to Florida to see her
son, Stephen. To her, New York City was her happy place and a world our Mother
spoke glowingly and fondly about. She visited the city throughout her life. Her
tales of adventure with Mary McGinnis in New York City are remarkable and
legendary. She booked many family vacations to Maine, enjoying the surf, sand,
and food in places like Wells Beach, York, and the Maine family favorite, Old
Orchard Beach.
At Benoit Adult Home and throughout
her life, Janet was there for seniors and their families. Through reputation,
health care referrals, and word of mouth, Janet became a key pillar for many in
her community, and she provided valuable services and compassionate care when
families needed help. For the twilight years of many in the area, the Benoit
Adult Home served, with Janet at the helm, treating each client and their
families as if they were her own, from the down and out to revered local elders
and respected leaders in the community. Regardless of color, creed, or social
standing, Jan took immense pride in helping people when they could no longer
live alone. At Benoit Adult Home, they became part of her extended family, and
they spent their days and nights surrounded by Janet, her family and staff, a
piano, music, and too many cats!
Jan enjoyed cooking, Cadillacs, eating
seafood, shopping, baking, bingo, holidays, traveling, pig Latin, gossiping, and promoting and protecting the rights of
animals. She lived for Scrabble at a competitive level, Pinochle, cards,
classical music, and feeding strays. She loved Patsy Cline songs, Mikhail
Baryshnikov’s The Nutcracker, Casablanca, Gene Hackman, old Hollywood movies,
the National Enquirer, dogs, and piano playing. Janet was a leader in family
games and a go-to for support and help to her children, grandchildren, nieces,
and nephews.
Janet was predeceased in death by her husband, Joseph Benoit. Mother, Eva Johnson Weston, brother James Everts, father Leo Weston, niece Terra Lynn McCarthy, and her forever best friend, Mary McGuiness. Survivors include her brother Jack Weston (Mary) of Chaumont, sister Carrie Weston McCarthy (Manuel) of Peru, brother Thomas Everts (Karli) of Mercer Island, Washington, and sister Patricia Everts Hodder (Rick) of Centreville, VA, her children, Mark Schneider (Evelyn Sheerer) of Queensbury, Steve White (Mark Knight) of St. Petersburg, FL, Susan Benoit Bellinger (Barney) of Mayfield, Jim Wells of Binghamton, Joel Benoit of Hudson Falls, and Jesse Benoit (Ashley) of Cary, NC. Jan left behind her adored grandchildren, whom she spoiled with love, money, clothes, and wit: Heidi Schneider (Terry Davidson), Holly Schneider Hughes (Brian), Erin Bellinger, Kristina Wells, James Wells, Carter Benoit, and Hunter Benoit, and her great-grandchildren Claire Rose, Eleanor J. (Ellie), Madeline, Kenna, and Kieran. She had wonderful friends and family, many of whom we know we will miss during this fog of events, but we will try to highlight some we won’t forget. A special callout would include Karen and Tom LaBarge; brother-in-laws Laurent Benway, Butch Barlow, and Hod Ovitt; and her sister-in-laws Kathy Benway Barlow and Rosemary Ovitt. She cherished her dear friends and family, including her card-playing partners Paula Bush, Janice Anderson, Sandy Brouillette, and Helga Stutz, also dear friend of over twenty years, Virginia Carluccio. Her crazy Aunt Janet’s commentary and jokes enthralled her adoring nieces. Especially Lorrie Benoit Smith, Angel Benway Tucker, Maria Benway Dawkins, Rebecca Benway Matte, Heather Benway, Terra McCarthy, Laurie Everts Ruston, Judy Everts, Stacey Weston Linkroum, Ashley Draper, and Jacqueline Weston Stein. She loved her nephews, whom Aunt Janet was a treat to, including Leo McCarthy, Matt McCarthy, Jim Everts, Bill Weston, Pat Stein, Cliff Hewlett, Laurent Benway, Randy Smith, Tracy Benoit, Adam Linkroum, and Tom Ruston; also her niece, Tressa Everts Overfield. Janet’s cat, Abner, survives her.
Friends may call from 10:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at the
Carleton Funeral Home, Inc., 68 Main Street in Hudson Falls. The procession and
funeral will immediately follow to the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National
Cemetery, 200 Duell Road in Schuylerville, NY. She will take one final ride in
a Cadillac.
Friends and family are all invited to
celebrate Janet’s life on the same day following the burial, from 4 p.m. to
6:30 p.m., with food and drink provided at the Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls,
NY.
Janet
provided a caring home for many people at the end of their lives, and Karma was
watching. At the end of her days, she received the same treatment she provided
for so many. The family would like to thank Tricia Parrish from the Washington
County Office of Aging, who was tremendous over the last several years. The
family also wishes to thank the nurses and staff of Tower 2 Oncology and Dr.
Tedesco, who provided unrivaled care for Janet and her family in the last week
of her life.
Janet
loved animals with all her heart. At one point, there were
over twenty felines she adopted and took in. Please
consider donating in her name to the SPCA of Upstate NY at http://www.spcauny.org.
Rest in
peace, Mom! Thank you for all you did for us. We will cherish your memory and
love you forever.
