TEWKSBURY—On July 12, 2014, Janet Ferguson, 84, of Tewksbury, formerly of Cambridge and Haverhill, beloved mother of Eileen Angel (Ferguson) Joyce and her husband Bill, devoted grandmother of Billy, Jeff, Maggie and Tommy, passed away peacefully at her home with her loving family after a lengthy decline in health.
Born in Haverhill, she was the daughter of the late Harold and Margaret (Collins) Ferguson. She attended St. James Grammar School and Haverhill High School. She moved from Haverhill in 1954, eventually settling in Cambridge where she lived for 32 years. She has spent the last 22 years with her daughter and family in Tewksbury.
Janet worked in electronics for most of her life, retiring in 1993 from the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge where she worked for almost 25 years. There she was a quality control inspector and served on the Executive Board for the Research and Development Technical Employees’ Union. Throughout her life she also waitressed part-time at many establishments, beginning with the Normandy Lounge in Salisbury Beach back in the early 1950’s. She was foremost a dedicated grandmother but also enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, listening to Tony Bennett and watching anything with Bette Davis. Janet was a very hardworking woman and a 37-year friend of Bill W.
She leaves her loving daughter and son in law, Eileen Angel Joyce and William M. of Tewksbury, four cherished grandchildren, William M. Joyce, Jr. and his wife Kristin of Bradford, MA, Jeffrey R. Joyce and his fiancé Emily of Fairhaven, MA, Margaret A. Joyce and Thomas J. Joyce both of Tewksbury and a great granddaughter Keiley M. Joyce of Fairhaven, MA. She leaves a brother William N. Ferguson and his wife Carole of Salem, NH, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her siblings, Robert H. Ferguson, Shirley F. Gigliotti and her husband Albert, John J. Ferguson, Richard E. Ferguson and Eugene C. Ferguson.
In lieu of traditional services, family and friends are respectfully invited to attend a remembrance of Janet’s life on Thursday, July 17th anytime between the hours of 3pm and 7pm at the Tewksbury-Wilmington Elks #2070, 777 South St., Tewksbury, MA. A time of reflection will take place at 5pm in the Hall. Memorial donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.org, the Gavin House at www.gavinfoundation.org, or to a charity of your choice. The Kevin B. Comeau Funeral Home, 486 Main St., Haverhill is honored to assist the Ferguson family with arrangements. Please visit Comeau Funeral Home on Facebook or www.comeaufuneral.com.