Janice (Downey) Williams

WORCESTER, Mass. — On Dec. 28, heaven gained a very special woman. Janice (Downey) Williams, 88, the daughter of James and Hilda Downey, passed away at her home from pancreatic cancer. Jan spent her last months enjoying many visits with friends and family from near and far,  and was surrounded by her loving family until the end.

Jan, the only child of Jim and Hilda, was a Shirley Temple lookalike who loved to dance as a child and had an infectious smile. Armed with her quick wit and humor, intelligence, sense of style and enthusiasm for interior design, Jan at age 19 married a Naval officer and traveled the country. The pair lived in Memphis and elsewhere until the marriage ended, and Jan moved back to Worcester with her toddlers, Chris and Megan. A key event a few years later shows Jan’s character and kindness. Without hesitation, she took in her young cousins Denise and Debbie Boule from Rhode Island after their mother and father had died unexpectedly, and helped to raise them. Under her care and love, it was a full and active household on Longfellow Road.

While raising the children, Jan began a career at Worcester Business Machines, where she met a dear longtime companion, the late Jack Quinn of Holliston. In time, Jan dusted off her decorating and style talents and began following her true calling. She enjoyed many good years working at Design Showroom and at Winchendon Furniture. With warm enthusiasm and a flair for the unusual — for instance, she liked creating wall mosaics using the interesting lids of vintage cookware and ironstone relish dishes — Jan assisted customers and others over the years in the careful and rewarding transformation of houses into homes.

A 1952 South High School graduate, Jan developed lifelong friendships with many classmates. Her first jobs were in Worcester, first at Brockelman Brothers, where she worked in the bakery and candy departments, and later at Sprague Electric.  The one thing she knew with certainty, while finding her way as a young woman, was that she was not going to go through life without children. And indeed, she didn’t.

Jan was an active listener, adviser and supporter to the youth and next generation of the family. She could be found at baseball games, hockey games, dance recitals, Disney trips and living room chats, and hosted countless sleepovers and get-togethers. She was everyone's favorite grandmother, GJ, grandma, Auntie Janie and “GiGi” (great-grandmother).

Jan displayed grace in the face of her autumn 2022 diagnosis of advanced cancer, and vowed to make everyone smile and laugh while visiting her. Her sparkle, poise and knack for connecting prevailed to the end.  

She leaves two sons, Christopher Williams with his wife, Maria, of Rockwood, Maine, and Michael Hult of Atlanta, Ga.; a daughter, Megan McMahon of Worcester; and the cousins she helped raise as daughters, Denise Holden with her husband, Brian, of Kemblesville, Pa., and Debra Jarvis with her husband, David, of Charlton. She leaves cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Victoria (McMahon) Schindler with her husband, John, of Medway; Spencer McMahon of Worcester; Hailey Hult of Newburgh, N.Y.; Justin Holden of Philadelphia and Jeffrey Holden with his wife, Alexandria, of Philadelphia; Lindsay (Jarvis) Gaspari with her husband, Michael, of San Diego, and Michael Jarvis of San Diego; and great-grandsons Oliver Holden and Mac Schindler. Among other dear relatives she also leaves David Boule of Meredith, N.H., his wife, Elaine Boule, and their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren: Alyssa, Kevin, Emily and Matthew Shaw; and Katherine, Brian, Josie and Sadie Napolitano.

Calling hours will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, at Mercadante Funeral Home, 370 Plantation St., Worcester. A funeral Mass will be at 11:30 am Monday, Jan. 9 at Blessed Sacrament Church, 551 Pleasant St., Worcester. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Blessed Sacrament Church, 551 Pleasant St., Worcester, MA 01602; or to Abby’s House, 52 High St., Worcester, MA 01609.