Janet Paquette

Janet Paquette passed away surrounded by love in the Farmington home she and her devoted husband of 68 years, Don Paquette, built in 1975. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, the youngest of ten children born to Saverio and Pasqualina (Cianci) Calvo in New Britain, Connecticut. Growing up among nieces and nephews near her own age, she shared a lively childhood, later becoming a studious teenager with a passion for photography, learning darkroom techniques from her sister Connie and brother-in-law Al Bartlett. She met Don through her sister Delores (Ann) Farr’s marriage to his cousin Jim Farr, and the two sisters built neighboring homes in Farmington, sharing decades of holidays, meals, and family life together.

Janet and Don enjoyed travels to Italy, Greece, and Sicily, where she visited her ancestral towns, as well as frequent trips to Stowe, Vermont. She set a quiet example for her daughters Denise and Michelle, and her grandchildren, through her lifelong love of reading, learning, gardening, and hard work. Her early career was as a beautician, followed by time in real estate sales, cooking in local restaurants, and finally retiring from the Hartford Insurance Group’s food service in Farmington. She delighted in connecting with people, remembering names and preferences with genuine warmth.

Above all, Janet centered her life on family and the Sicilian tradition of preparing generous, nourishing meals. Her kitchen was her favorite place, where she created legendary Christmas cookies and countless family favorites. She instilled values of kindness, manners, and personal responsibility while sharing a playful sense of humor, often jumping at her grand-dog Dolly’s pokes under the dinner table or sneaking extra treats to Lucky. She remained observant and intuitive, delighting in family gatherings, especially when her granddaughter Jess and husband Tyler visited from Colorado, and she took great joy in her daughter Michelle’s return to the family home in 2020 to help care for her.

She is survived by her husband Don Paquette, daughters Denise Poole (Ed) of Bristol and Michelle Paquette of Farmington, grandson Jon Rousseau (Laura) of Kensington, granddaughter Jess Mattas (Tyler) of Colorado Springs, great-grandson Henry Donald Rousseau of Kensington, and niece Lisa Paquette of White River Junction, Vermont. Her grand-dogs Dolly and Gertie will miss her treats and attention. She was predeceased by her parents, all nine siblings, and several brothers-in-law, as well as her beloved grand-dogs Maya and Lucky.