Janice S. Barnum (1926-2018)

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Janice S. Barnum

PORTSMOUTH, NH – Jan Barnum, formerly of Plaistow, NH and New Vineyard, died at age 92 on June 20 at the Edgewood Center in Portsmouth, NH after suffering for several years from Alzheimer’s disease. She was predeceased in 2005 by her husband of 62 years, Barton L. Barnum.

Born Janice Shirley Merrick in Haverhill, Mass. in May of 1926, she was the last of four sisters: Ruth, Pauline, and Dorothy. She leaves three sons: Stephen of Allenstown, NH, Jeffrey of New Vineyard, ME, Leonard Sargent of Los Lunas, New Mexico, and also a close niece, Judy Cunningham of Bradford, MA. There are six grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild living in Maine, New Hampshire, and Colorado.

After graduating from Haverhill High School, she married Barton L. Barnum in 1943. The family moved to Plaistow, NH in 1954 where she and Bart raised their children while also becoming foster parents to a revolving door of newborns and adolescents. In subsequent years she was employed as an office manager for textile companies in No. Andover and Chelsea, MA before retiring with her husband to New Vineyard, ME. She took on the role as administrative secretary to the board of selectmen in that town in the late 80s and eventually served New Vineyard as a selectperson in the 90s.

She is remembered by her sons and niece Judy for teaching them to camp and fish on annual outings to northern NH; spending long nights at the Pittsburg dump to watch the bears; braking suddenly the old Chevy coup to watch in disbelief a mountain lion cross the road; going out every night with flashlights to see whatever animals were out and about; and for dealing with three crying kids after getting unequivocally lost in the woods after taking a shortcut that was not short at all. After retirement, she and Bart traveled some. They fished, rode horses, and hunted in Wyoming where she shot an elk and Bart didn’t.

In New Vineyard, she is remembered as a hard-working, fair, consistent, and transparent selectwoman; a great host in her home for annual neighborhood Christmas parties; a woman who fed cattle each day that came to the edge of her deck in the morning; and as someone who occasionally manned the sap evaporator for long nights at So. Strong Maple Syrup, worried as flames shot out the stack, that she would burn the saphouse to the ground.

To her credit, whatever negative prejudices she may have had, she never sought to instill them in her children. She disdained ignorance, and taught her kids to think and choose for themselves, even when they may have been wrong-headed. She quietly taught her children to respect everyone and treat them all the same. Above all, she is remembered as the best there ever was. Her kids never wanted for anything worth wanting.

Jan Barnum will be cremated and given to the same waters as her husband in a private ceremony at an undetermined date. There will be no public memorial service. In lieu of flowers or donations, simply strive to be the best person you can be, serve your community, and love your family and others.

Contact Jeff Barnum at 207-491-2021 or jjeffreybarnum@gmail.com

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1 Comment

  1. Jeff, my sympathies to you and yours. Your Mom was certainly a hardworking asset to the town during the years that she served New Vineyard.

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