Obituary for Janice W. Ober
APPLETON – Janice G. Widdecombe Ober, 67, passed away at home, as she wanted, following a hard-fought battle with Metastatic HER2 Breast Cancer on Saturday, November 12, 2022, just one month and one day after the death of her beloved husband, David L. Ober.
Born in Rockland, September 11, 1955, she was the daughter of Robert and Barbara Tolman Widdecombe. Educated locally, Janice was a 1973 graduate of Rockland District High School.
Janice had an outgoing personality and warm smile to match. She began working with the public at an early age, beginning as a bank teller in the 1970’s at Camden National and later Androscoggin Savings Bank in the 1990’s. For several years she was the friendly face behind the retail counters at both J.C. Penney and Maci’s in Rockland.
She was a meticulous housekeeper, and worked for over 35 years for many area families.
In 2001 Janice married the love of her life, David Ober. Together they built a home in Rockport before purchasing property on Sennebec Lake. Janice and David’s home was always tastefully decorated and well-kept and often filled with the inviting aroma of her baking. She never backed down from a challenge in the kitchen and loved to make fancy and beautifully decorated cakes. She was known for delicious breads, cookies, bagels, English muffins and donuts.
Janice was most content at her home on the lake in Appleton. She loved being in the lake, swimming, getting in as soon as she could in the spring, usually in April and going every day until late October.
Always active, she had many hobbies including, reading, painting, sewing, playing cards and camping. She made many beautifully painted Christmas gifts on glass ornaments and canvas, sewed stuffed teddy-bears and animals (although not her most favorite thing to do, she enjoyed the challenge), read several different series of books from romance to history adventures to mysteries, and enjoyed a good game of Phase Ten, Sequence and other board games. A ‘happy wanderer’ Janice enjoyed camping, especially in Jonesport at the Town Campground, and traveling with her husband David. Together they enjoyed two trips to Hawaii, and a cross country trip that took them from Maine to Florida and then West to California, visiting family along the way.
Janice’s laughter and love will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Other than her parents, Janice was predeceased by her husband, David; and her step-son Adam Ober; She is survived by her daughters and their families, Betsey York and her husband Adam and their children Jacob and Laruen York all of Dawsonville, GA, Carrie Merchant and her husband Jestin and their children, Mason and Hadley Merchant all of Connor Township, ME; her step-daughter and her family, Catrina ‘Tina’ Ober Murray and her husband Christopher Murray and their children, Grayson and Oriana Murray all of Rockport; her sister, Diane Simmons and her husband Richard of Port Orange, FL; the father of her children Walter Harvey of Rockland; her brother-in-law Alan Harvey and his wife Wanda and their children Connor and Autumn; as well as a niece Lynn Wolford and her husband Jason and their children Jacob and Elise; two nephews, Matthew Simmons and his wife Jennifer and his step-son Ashton McClean, Aaron Simmons and his wife Amy and their children Ashley and Aiden. Janice also leaves behind many beloved aunts and uncles.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 21, 2022 at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. A reception to follow will be announced. For those unable to attend in person, Janice’s service may be viewed by clicking on the Photos and Video's tab above, and then on the Watch Webcast Link.
Interment will be held in the summer of 2023.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either, Shriners Hospital for Children, Donation Dept, 518 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104; Muscular Dystrophy Association, 161 N. Clark, Suite 3550, Chicago IL 60601, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Born in Rockland, September 11, 1955, she was the daughter of Robert and Barbara Tolman Widdecombe. Educated locally, Janice was a 1973 graduate of Rockland District High School.
Janice had an outgoing personality and warm smile to match. She began working with the public at an early age, beginning as a bank teller in the 1970’s at Camden National and later Androscoggin Savings Bank in the 1990’s. For several years she was the friendly face behind the retail counters at both J.C. Penney and Maci’s in Rockland.
She was a meticulous housekeeper, and worked for over 35 years for many area families.
In 2001 Janice married the love of her life, David Ober. Together they built a home in Rockport before purchasing property on Sennebec Lake. Janice and David’s home was always tastefully decorated and well-kept and often filled with the inviting aroma of her baking. She never backed down from a challenge in the kitchen and loved to make fancy and beautifully decorated cakes. She was known for delicious breads, cookies, bagels, English muffins and donuts.
Janice was most content at her home on the lake in Appleton. She loved being in the lake, swimming, getting in as soon as she could in the spring, usually in April and going every day until late October.
Always active, she had many hobbies including, reading, painting, sewing, playing cards and camping. She made many beautifully painted Christmas gifts on glass ornaments and canvas, sewed stuffed teddy-bears and animals (although not her most favorite thing to do, she enjoyed the challenge), read several different series of books from romance to history adventures to mysteries, and enjoyed a good game of Phase Ten, Sequence and other board games. A ‘happy wanderer’ Janice enjoyed camping, especially in Jonesport at the Town Campground, and traveling with her husband David. Together they enjoyed two trips to Hawaii, and a cross country trip that took them from Maine to Florida and then West to California, visiting family along the way.
Janice’s laughter and love will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Other than her parents, Janice was predeceased by her husband, David; and her step-son Adam Ober; She is survived by her daughters and their families, Betsey York and her husband Adam and their children Jacob and Laruen York all of Dawsonville, GA, Carrie Merchant and her husband Jestin and their children, Mason and Hadley Merchant all of Connor Township, ME; her step-daughter and her family, Catrina ‘Tina’ Ober Murray and her husband Christopher Murray and their children, Grayson and Oriana Murray all of Rockport; her sister, Diane Simmons and her husband Richard of Port Orange, FL; the father of her children Walter Harvey of Rockland; her brother-in-law Alan Harvey and his wife Wanda and their children Connor and Autumn; as well as a niece Lynn Wolford and her husband Jason and their children Jacob and Elise; two nephews, Matthew Simmons and his wife Jennifer and his step-son Ashton McClean, Aaron Simmons and his wife Amy and their children Ashley and Aiden. Janice also leaves behind many beloved aunts and uncles.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 21, 2022 at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. A reception to follow will be announced. For those unable to attend in person, Janice’s service may be viewed by clicking on the Photos and Video's tab above, and then on the Watch Webcast Link.
Interment will be held in the summer of 2023.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either, Shriners Hospital for Children, Donation Dept, 518 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104; Muscular Dystrophy Association, 161 N. Clark, Suite 3550, Chicago IL 60601, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.