Janet (Blais) Washburn

Janet (Blais) Washburn, born October 28, 1944, in Middleborough, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at home on March 1, 2026.

To know Janet was to know love. She had a radiant smile, a completely pure heart, and a special gift for connecting with people wherever she went.

She was the daughter of the late Pauline and Edgar Blais and shared 57 loving years of marriage with her devoted husband, Harry Washburn.

Together Janet and Harry were small business owners for more than 55 years. They built and operated several successful businesses including The Gift Chalet, The House of Color, and Mt. Washington Fudge Company in New Hampshire, and later the Tradewinds Guesthouse and Restaurant on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. 

Known as “Meko” to her grandchildren and “Juanita” to friends in Vieques, Janet loved dancing, running, hiking with family, being outdoors, and spending time with the people she loved. 

Janet was also an artist at heart, always taking simple gifts from Mother Nature — a pinecone, a palm frond, a seashell — and turning them into something fun and meaningful.

Janet is survived by her husband Harry; daughters Jodi Washburn of Pittsboro, North Carolina, and Stacy Petell of Madison, New Hampshire; son-in-law Dale Petell; grandchildren Taylor, Dalton, and Carver Petell; and her sister Mary Blais of Middleborough, Massachusetts.

Janet is now reunited with her parents, her siblings Bonnie, Linda, Steve, and Mike.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Janet’s spirit of love and playfulness by sharing an act of kindness.