Janet E. Keyes

Lincoln - Ms. Janet (Turner) Keyes, of Lincoln, died unexpectedly on Thursday, April 14, 2011 at Emerson Hospital in Concord. She was 82.

Born in Waltham on April 13, 1929, Janet was the youngest of three daughters of the late former Waltham Mayor Henry A. Turner and Marion (Holman) Turner.

She was a graduate of Waltham High School ‘47 and Tufts University ’51, earning a BS in Education and a diploma in Occupational Therapy. She later received a Master of Education degree from Lesley College Graduate School in 1986.

Growing up in Waltham, Janet was an active member of the First Congregational Church. She was involved with Jaycees and other community groups. Upon moving to Lincoln in 1955, Janet became very involved with the Lincoln community as a member of the First Parish Church as a Lay Minister. She was lovingly involved with her four children and their activities in town and ceaselessly encouraged them to pursue their talents and dreams.

First and foremost, Janet was a loving mother and proud grandmother of nine. She was a very organized and observant person, catching details that most would have opted to ignore. Janet’s desire to share and develop her intelligence and wit was nothing less than admirable, finishing crossword puzzles within the hour and assigning challenging puzzles for her grandchildren’s Christmas gifts. She enjoyed her time spent with all her family members, especially summertime in Denmark, Maine, where they all eventually learned to grant her the last word in.

Janet leaves her daughter, Laura K. Jaynes and her husband, Steven A. Jaynes, of Merrimack, New Hampshire; her sons, Andrew G. Keyes and his wife, Doreen M., of Waltham, and Christopher M. Keyes and his wife, Janet S., of Norfolk, Virginia; her grandchildren Steven A. Jaynes, Jr. and Julie A. Jaynes, of Merrimack, New Hampshire, Jonathan W. and Brendan A. Keyes, of Waltham and Emily, Natalie, Dorothy, Jeremiah, and Kenneth Keyes of Norfolk, Virginia; her sister, Jane (Turner) Stone, of Bloomfield, Connecticut; her former husband, Walter I. Keyes of Marshfield and is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

She was the mother of the late Kenneth W. Keyes and sister of the late Joan E. Turner.

Family and friends will honor and remember Janet’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Tuesday, April 19th, from 4 to 7 p.m. with a time for memory sharing at 6:30 p.m. Interment will be on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. at Lexington Road Cemetery in Lincoln. A reception will follow in Lincoln Woods Community Room.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice.