Janet Paquette

Janet Gillen Paquette, 88, passed away on Wednesday January 25, 2023, in Hillsboro, NH at her daughter and son-in-law’s home, after a long battle with cancer.

Jan was a longtime resident of Catskill, NY.  She was born on May 15, 1934, in Watertown NY, to John Gillen and Mary Loftus.  Jan’s mother passed away when she was a child and she was raised by her maternal grandmother Mary Devine Loftus.

After graduating from Immaculate Heart of Mary High School, Watertown NY, in 1951, Jan worked for the telephone company until meeting her husband, Richard Paquette, at her cousin’s restaurant, while he was stationed at Camp Drum.  They were married in his hometown of Berlin NH, on November 15, 1952, and lived in Berlin, and Milan, NH where they raised 2 children.

While living in Berlin, Jan worked at Converse Rubber Co.  In the 70’s, after moving to West Milan NH, Jan was a Selectwoman serving on many town committees.  Jan managed the Sears Catalog Store in Berlin until moving to Catskill, NY when her husband had a job transfer. Jan was blessed with an opening to manage the Sears store in Catskill, at the same time.

Jan was committed to a life of service.  She was very active at St. Kieran Church in Berlin, NH serving on the parish council.  As a parishioner of St. Patrick Church in Catskill, NY, she was Pastoral Assistant and member of the music ministry.  Later, Jan served as Pastoral Assistant at St. Mary Church in Hudson, NY.   She was a devoted member of the music and prayer ministry of the Apostolate of Divine Mercy and Healing in MA for over 30 years. After her husband went home to the Lord, Jan became a Third Order Franciscan.  In addition to these ministries, Jan was an assistant to Fr. John Bertolucci of the Diocese of Albany, NY.

Jan was an integral part of many lives and played a significant role in her family’s lives. Jan is preceded in death by her husband, Richard E. Paquette, who passed away February 1999, her son Ed Paquette of Hillsboro, NH, December 2013, and her brother Richard J. Gillen Sr. of Sterling, VA, November 2008.

She is survived by her daughter, Diane Sampson and her husband Donald, of Hillsboro NH, her sister Patricia Rhinebeck and her husband Tom of Cape Vincent, NY, her sisters-in-law Janet Bouchard of Berlin, NH and Louise Durant of Arcadia, FL, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Visitation hours will be on Monday, January 30th, between noon and 2p.m. at St. Patrick Church in Catskill, NY and a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 2p.m. The burial will be February 3rd at 11am, in Berlin, NH at the St. Kieran Church Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers Jan asks that donations are made to a charity of your choice. 

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