Janice H. Ryan's Obituary
Janice Hillman Ryan, 83 of Gulfport, FL , formerly of New Marlborough , MA passed away on the evening of November 15,2018 in Florida.
Born in Providence, RI on July 7, 1935, she was the daughter of John Gardner Hillman & Gladys Koenig Hillman, she was a graduate of New Bedford High School.
In her youth she enjoyed spending time in the White Mountains where she hiked to the top of Mount Washington. In Fairhaven, MA she enjoyed time at the beach with her sons, family & friends. Later in life she enjoyed spending times with her grandchildren.
Janice lived in Fairhaven, MA raising her 3 young boys, where they loved spending summer vacations on Martha’s Vineyard, before moving to Pembroke, NH in 1970. In New Hampshire, she worked for the Easter Seals Foundation. In 1975 she & her family moved to New Marlborough, MA, where she worked for the Shrope Foundation and the Southern Berkshire Regional School District as a special needs aide until her retirement. After retirement, Janice moved to Gulfport, FL in 1991 where she tutored children, volunteered at the Gulfport Senior Center and was a spokesperson for the disabled after becoming disabled in 1993. Janice was a volunteer for the Clam Bayou Cleanup and also participated in the Gecko Festival in Gulfport.
She is survived by her 3 sons, David & wife Jennifer of Dunedin FL, Scott & wife Alicia of New Marlborough, MA, and Glenn & wife Krystal of Otis, MA. One sister Lucille Whitman of South Pasadena,FL formerly from Edgartown Martha’s Vineyard and 4 grandchildren Danielle, Samantha, Nicholas and Tyde and 3 great grandchildren. She was preceded by her daughter-in-law Jane E Ryan in 2007. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, December 22nd at 1:00 pm at St. Vincent Episcopal Church, 5441 9th Avenue N, St. Petersburg,FL. (727) 321-5086, where Janice was a member. Another Celebration of Life for Janice will be held in Southfield, Massachusetts in the Summer of 2019.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent Episcopal Church, The SPCA, The Humane Society, or St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.
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