Janet Richmond Cobbett

Janet Richmond Cobbett of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin died peacefully on Sunday, July 14, 2024 surrounded by her three children and her loving partner Norman Wack. She was 92 and lived a life full of challenges, triumphs, love and laughter.

Janet was born on April 8, 1932 in New Milford, Connecticut to mother Marjorie Alice Roberts Richmond and father Paul Seeley Richmond. She was a graduate of New Milford High School class of 1950 and Green Mountain College, Poultney, Vermont class of 1952. During her 92 years, she lived in a number of places: New Milford, Connecticut; Boston, Massachusetts; Catonsville, Maryland; Barnstable, Massachusetts; Chappaqua, New York; Nashotah, Wisconsin; and for the last 28 years, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

Janet married Reverend George Trueman Cobbett on February 1, 1964, and they were together until his death in 2004. For the past 18 years, she has been in a committed loving relationship with Norman Wack.

During her years of employment, she served as a production assistant at Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company in Boston and at M.I.T. Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was an administrative assistant at Pepsico in Purchase, New York, and an assistant school nurse at Westorchard Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York. Janet also served for a time as the office manager at Zion Episcopal Church in Oconomowoc.

Her greatest loves were family, friends, laughter, and reading, but in her life she also enjoyed playing piano, flute and guitar, studying history, singing, dancing, travel, camping, swimming, sailing, water-skiing, golfing, downhill skiing, watching football and golf, poetry, nature, driving, playing cards, giving gifts, playing along with Jeopardy, making other people happy, and teaching others about things that interested her. She will be remembered as a generous, loving, lovely, intelligent, athletic, funny, stylish, forgiving, and compassionate person who lit up every space she entered.

Janet’s favorite family experiences included singing together in church or at home, telling jokes and stories, and being with her children and grandchildren. She was an active member of several bridge clubs as well as P.E.O., a philanthropic education organization where women celebrate the advancement of women, educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, and loans, and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.

She is survived by her brother Bob, son Tom (Lisa) and his children Justine and Ben, daughter Jan Moore and her daughter Sami, son Nick (Kelly) and their children Nat (Mary) and Billy, partner Norm Wack, nephew Stu Richmond, niece Sue Johnson and her family.

Janet’s family wants to thank all of her care team at ProHealth Care in Waukesha, and at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital for their excellent work and dedication to her health and comfort.

Flowers gratefully declined. The family asks that you consider making a donation to ProHealth Care Foundation and specify Oconomowoc Hospital.

A memorial will follow in the fall.