Janice Duart of Oak Bluffs died on Saturday, April 7, 2018, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She was 71.
Janice was born on Oct. 17, 1946, in New Bedford, the daughter of Charles C. and Leontina (Almeida) Rego. She graduated from New Bedford High School, and moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1968, where she worked as a garment presser at Takemmy Laundry for over 30 years.
Janice was an extremely hard-working woman who did an amazing job raising her three children on her own, and taught them values and morals and to work hard to get the things in life you wanted.
She loved to watch people and enjoy the sights and sounds of a busy Oak Bluffs Circuit Avenue crowd. Her son, Kenny, would be her co-pilot in her car parked at the top of the hill in town, and just sit and chat and watch all the people milling around. This is one of his fondest memories with his mom.
Janice had many friends who would pop over to have a cup of coffee and chitchat, or they would go to her favorite restaurant, Linda Jean’s, for a warm meal.
While her son, Kenny, was in Boston having a double transplant, his children, Hunter and Shelby, stayed behind with Grammy, and had a fun time with her and her sense of humor. She helped them through a really scary time, and they cherished those memories with her forever.
Janice enjoyed knitting, crocheting, crafts, bowling, and motorcycle trips.
Janice was predeceased by her husband, Anthony Robert (Bob) Duart, a former police officer in Oak Bluffs, and by her brother, Kenneth Rego. She is survived by her two sons, Gordon G. Ponte and his wife Lisa of Oak Bluffs, and Kenneth Wayne Ponte and his wife Erica of Chilmark; her daughter, Janet Ponte of Oak Bluffs; four stepchildren; six grandchildren, Maia Ponte, Hunter Ponte, Shelby Ponte, Jake Ponte, Janelle Pine, and Jade Pine; and her faithful pet companion, Harley.
A graveside service for the burial of her remains will be held on Saturday, April 28, in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineyard Avenue, in Oak Bluffs, at 2:30 pm officiated by the Rev. Michael Nagle.
Donations in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, phone 800-227-2345, or cancer.org.
