Janet “Gin” Lowery passed away March 3, 2025. She was 96.
She was born to Ruth and Halsey Brewster on March 7, 1928.
She and her sister, Ann, grew up in the New Jersey countryside, where she graduated from the Harding Township Grade School in 1942 and the Buxton School in 1946.
Known then by the nickname “Skipper,” she graduated and headed to Vermont Junior College to pursue a career in nursing. Although she never took the job officially, she spent the rest of her life caring for others.
She met and married Joseph “Harry” Lowery in 1953 after he finished his military commitments in North Carolina.
The couple moved to Sparta in 1959 and she became a longtime resident of the Lake Mohawk community.
They adopted and raised two sons, Andrew and Steven, who attended the Sparta schools, and they were dedicated members of the St. Mary’s congregation.
Tragedy struck in 1973, when Harry died suddenly, leaving Janet to raise two teenage boys alone.
But like the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Her family, town and church community helped her through it all, and she eventually got a degree at Dover Business School to be a secretary, found a job and helped put her kids through college.
In 1982, Janet moved to the Jersey Shore to be with her sister and work as a home health-care worker. Her years at the Shore were filled with joy and celebration, as her home continued to be the gathering place for her vast circle of friends and extended family as well. It was the “best of times.”
Almost 30 years later, after caring for her many friends and her sister, she moved back north to Heath Village in Hackettstown, a beautiful community where she and her family shared many wonderful and lasting memories.
Whether raising two sons without a father, working for seniors as a home health aide, or offering support and encouragement to the friends and family she cherished, Janet lived in the service of others. Caring for people made her happy, and she did it tirelessly.
A cancer survivor for more than 40 years, Janet loved to cook, travel with family and friends, make specialty Teddy Bears, enjoy the Papermill Playhouse, camp with her husband and kids, and, most importantly, watch her family grow.
She was known to be the fun-loving addition to any gathering, a favorite among the many staff members at Heath Village, and a compassionate but always feisty friend to everyone.
Through the spiritual guidance of both St. Mary’s and St. Elizabeth’s Chapel in Lavallette, Janet found in her faith a comfort and resolve that she would one day be reunited with her husband, Harry, and beloved dog Penny. May she find her peace in heaven.
Janet was predeceased by her parents, Ruth and Halsey Brewster; sister, Ann; nephew Buzz; and her husband Harry.
She is survived by her two sons, Andrew and Steven; Andrew’s wife, Suzanne; her grandchildren, Hannah, Kate and Sean; Hannah’s husband, Alex; her great-grandson, Dylan; Sean’s fiance, Elizabeth; her nephews Harry and Brewster; Harry’s wife, Annekee; and Brewster’s children, Sam, Zach and Amy.
A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Sparta at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the American Cancer Society in her memory.