Janis Hirsch

— After a long New York and valiant battle, Janis succumbed to cancer Feb. 11, 2023. She was the heart and soul of her husband, Kennard, for more than 51 years. She was the beautiful daughter of the late Herbert and Evelyn Hillery of Mystic and the devoted sister of the late Nancy Hillery.

Janis grew up in Groton. She was valedictorian of her high school graduating class and then moved on to major in mathematics at Colby College in Maine. She also earned a master’s degree in remedial reading at The City University of New York, but finally found her calling in the world of media advertising.

Janis and Ken began their magical 52-year journey on the ski slopes of Vermont, which led them to a lifetime of winter pleasure stretching from Vermont to the Alps and to the Rocky Mountains. Janis adopted New York as her home and embraced the city. It led to off-Broadway theater, “small” movie films difficult to find in many other places, the ballet and the Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, fine food, jogging in Central Park, the Christmas windows of Bergdorf Goodman, and strolls through the Village, SOHO and NOHO. Summers on Fire Island with many wonderful friends began from the time she joined Ken and continue to this day.

Janis loved travel and the road led most often to Paris, where walking or the Metro could always take them to places they never forgot. That same road took them to small, charming hotels and chateaus found by Janis throughout all of Western Europe.

Above all, reading was Janis’ overwhelming passion. Thousands of books, the New Yorker and the New York Times were devoured in every spare moment of her day. She was challenged daily by the Times crossword puzzle in addition to finding obscure stories on page 17 that somehow touched her life.

The very essence of Janis was how gentle, soft, and self-effacing she was. She was that rare person loved by everyone. And, even if you were to occasionally displease her it would never be said. She abhorred violence and would quietly express her dismay over how a lack of caring could so easily be accepted by so many people.

She was an angel. Please join us between 2 and 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at the Frank E. Campbell — The Funeral Chapel (1076 Madison Avenue) in remembrance of her beautiful life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society of New York or the Lustgarten Foundation.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.frankecampbell.com.