SOUTH PARIS – On Feb. 22, 2019, her guardian angels came to the Maine Veterans Home in South Paris to lead Janice Reed into Heaven to meet her Lord. She passed peacefully, as a result of a stroke suffered in September, with her loving family by her side. Janice, whose name appropriately means “God’s Gift” in Hebrew, was born in 1947, in Skowhegan, the oldest daughter of Gerard B. and Helen F. Guay of Bingham.

Janice graduated from the new Upper Kennebec Valley Memorial High School in Bingham. She actively participated in many sports, civic activities, and cheerleading and was the first girl on the ski team. After graduating with honors, she attended the University of Maine, majoring in political science.

It was at Thompson’s Restaurant in Bingham, where she worked summers as a waitress, that she met her future husband, Thomas W. Reed in 1966. They were married two years later at St. Peter’s Church in Bingham, and moved to Fort Ord, Calif. while Tom completed his two year active duty military service. They then moved to Rumford where Tom returned to his work at Oxford Paper Company. Janice gave birth to two sons, Scott T. and Eric F. and remained a homemaker until the children were older. She was a devoted wife and mother and so proud of her home and family. As they matured and moved on, she wanted more challenge and became a licensed real estate broker, working for Shea Real Estate and then Century 21. Janice started her own company, Sunnyside Properties, and was well known and respected, retiring in 1997.

She and Tom enjoyed over 21 years of wonderful retirement, moving to their summer home on Pleasant Pond in Caratunk every summer, visiting Florida in “mud season”, taking many road trips, and enjoying snowmobiling together. She developed a taste for classic cars and greatly enjoyed taking cruises and going to car shows in their 1967 Pontiac GTO. Tom and Janice celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last summer and Janice got a gift that she always wanted- her own red Mustang convertible. Nobody could have asked for a happier marriage. They were inseparable and the memories of Janice will live on forever.

Janice loved life and her pride and joy was her four grandchildren. She absolutely adored them, as they did her. She was a very active grandmother and always had special activities for them, such as sewing, cooking, games, artwork, and special New Year’s Eve parties. Camp was always very special with swimming, fishing, cooking breakfast, and being checked for growth on the “measuring wall”.

She took pride in both her home and camp. She was a self-taught master decorator and could easily have had her own TV show. She was also an excellent seamstress and sewed many decorative creations and stuffed animals.

Janice was very active in the community, having served as president of the Greater Rumford Chamber of Commerce, and as a long term officer of the Rumford Community Home Board of Directors. She was a charter member of the Rumford Book Club for over 45 years, serving in various leadership positions. She was also a ballot clerk and Christmas in the Valley volunteer for many years. Janice was an avid snowmobiler since 1966 and a long-time member of the Rumford Polar Bears Snowmobile Club. She loved snowmobile rides with her husband, especially if they included a restaurant stop.

Janice is survived by her husband, Thomas W. Reed of Rumford; a brother, Jon B. Guay and wife, Lucy of Lewiston and The Villages, Fla., and two sisters, Catherine A. Swartz and husband, Steve of Bowie, MD, and Ann E. Gordon and husband, Wade of Kingfield; two sons, Scott T. and his wife, Laurie of Turner and Eric F. and his wife, Kelly of Gorham; four beautiful grandchildren, Natalie E. and Kyle S. Reed of Turner, and Julia A. and Gavin E. of Gorham; plus numerous nieces and nephews; and her loving granddog, Bella.

Janice was a very special and outgoing person and she will be greatly missed by all; however, the memories of Janice will live on forever. May the good Lord watch over her, in her new journey, as he did so graciously in her past one.

The family would like to thank the Maine Veterans Home, in South Paris, for the wonderful care given to Janice.

Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book and share memories with the family at www.meaderandson.com.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m., Thursday February 28, at the Parish of The Holy Savior St. Athanasius St. John Church in Rumford.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Meader and Son Funeral Home, 3 Franklin Street, Rumford.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made in her name to the

Pleasant Pond

Protective Association,

Caratunk, ME 04925,

the Rumford Polar Bears Snowmobile Club,

P.O. Box 634,

Rumford, ME 04276,

or to the

Rumford Book Club.

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