ROCHESTER — Janice Louise Baker, age 62, peacefully passed away on May 8, 2021, at the UVM McClure-Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt., due to a very difficult and short battle with cancer. Her daughter, Nicole, and son-in-law, Luiz were at her side.
Janice was born June 9, 1958, in Peterborough, N.H., to Charles and Wilhelmena Helen (Scholz) Kennett. She was the youngest of five children and the only girl. Janice was the adored baby sister of her four brothers. She graduated from Laconia High School, whereupon her family moved their dairy farm to Addison Vt. Janice then graduated from Champlain College and spent her 34-year career working as a legal secretary in Middlebury.
Janice married William Charles Baker Sr. on Nov. 14, 1980, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Vergennes. They lived in Bristol for 37 years in the house they built together.
Janice loved gardening, hiking, camping, nature and animals. She was a lifelong 4-H member and leader and cheered her daughter on at swim meets throughout her childhood. Hiking Baldface Mountain and picking wild blueberries in New Hampshire was a special family tradition. She organized family reunions and was the family historian, keeping family members connected.
She loved traveling the East Coast and going on cruises. Most recently she enjoyed traveling with her daughter in Brazil, Argentina, Italy, San Marino and to The Vatican.
Janice is survived by her daughter, Nicole Helen Schmitz and her husband Luiz Schmitz, of Riverview, Fla., and stepchildren William C. (Curtis Gresser) Baker Jr., of Washington State, and Tina (Keith) Stewart of Monkton. She is survived by three brothers and their wives: Walter and Cynthia Kennett of Pottstown, Pa., Charles and Kathy Kennett of Panton, Vt., and Robert and Elizabeth Kennett of Rochester, Vt., with whom she lived during the pandemic. Janice was the very special aunt of numerous nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces, always taking time to have fun with them. She is survived by a wealth of cousins and friends, who were truly Family of the Heart. She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, and one brother, Jon Kennett.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 15, at 1 p.m., at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Bristol, with the Rev. Yvon Royer as the celebrant. Burial will follow at Prospect Cemetery in Vergennes. In lieu of flowers at the funeral, please plant a flower in Janice’s honor this spring.
Online condolences at sandersonfuneralservice.com.◊