Janet Towse

Janet Towse, Stoneham native, has passed away at the age of 65.  She was born in 1953, the second daughter of Marian MacDonald Towse and the late Daniel C. Towse.

A graduate of the Stoneham High School class of 1971, Janet was active in Girl Scouts. She attended Simmons College majoring in French and received her master’s degree from Plymouth State University in Environmental Biology.

Janet rode her bicycle cross country, spent time living in France, taught English as a second language to recent immigrants, and travelled the world teaching software classes in both French and English. Janet’s second career was in the environmental sciences working at both Plymouth State University and Dartmouth College.

In 1986 Janet moved to Alexandria, NH and loved her little house with the lovely view. Janet was a passionate conservationist and contributed to her community serving on the Alexandria Conservation Commission, Planning Board, and the Lakes Region Planning Commission. She collected water samples from remote mountain sites for the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, was active in the Appalachian Mountain Club, and enjoyed participating in Audubon annual migratory bird counts.

Janet was a Master Gardener and expert pie baker. She loved spending time with her sisters Amy and Linda, hiking with her father, and traveling to Framboise, Nova Scotia with her mother.

Backpacking, snowshoeing, birding, or cross-country skiing, Janet was always happiest when wandering in the woods.

Janet was pre-deceased by her father, Dan Towse and sisters Christine Towse and Linda Towse.  She leaves her mother Marian Towse of Stoneham and sister Amy Sternberg and her husband Robert Sternberg of West Tisbury, MA, Aunts Shirley Messier MacDonald of Windsor, CT, Valerie Otteson MacDonald of Mukilteo, WA and Karyl Ronka Towse of Wasco, CA along with many cousins.

Funeral service will be held on Monday November 25th at 1PM First Congregational Church Stoneham, MA followed by burial at Lindenwood Cemetery.  Calling Hours from 2PM-5PM on Sunday November 24 ^th Anderson Bryant Funeral Home, Stoneham, MA.