Janet Susan (Mercer) Adams

Janet Susan (Mercer) Adams, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend passed away on December 31, 2024, at her home in Wimauma, Florida at the age of 67.  Gone too soon, Janet was born on May 7, 1957, the beloved daughter of Harry Anthony Mercer and Helen Mary (Vogel) Mercer in Blue Island, Illinois. 

Janet grew up in New Jersey and New York, often taking family road trips back to Illinois to enjoy time with extended family. She attended Franklin High School in New Jersey but graduated from Brewer High School when her father’s work moved them to Maine. She moved back to New Jersey and there met and married the love of her life, Paul. While working full-time, she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Centenary College and subsequently attended Chubb Institute for advanced mainframe computer training.  She later gave up her career in Information Services at a large medical firm to raise her two children, nurturing and inspiring them as a role model to be the successful adults they are today.  She loved her family tremendously and later in life moved with her husband to Florida to be closer to her grandchildren, whom she adored. 

Janet was an incredibly smart, kind, gentle, thoughtful, and caring woman. These qualities gave her a magnetic personality, and she would often strike up long conversations with strangers which added to her ever-growing circle of friends. So many people call Janet a friend and she will be deeply missed. Her bright light and positivity brought happiness, joy and peace to so many people. 

Janet was focused on her family.  As a devoted daughter who adored her parents, and in conjunction with her siblings, she assisted in the care of her elderly parents. It was important to her to spend time with them and support them in their later lives as much as possible.  She was an adoring wife, who loved her husband and made him immensely happy. To her children, she was a loving, nurturing and inspiring mother. She instilled strong values in her children such as honesty, integrity, patience, optimism, and kindness.  As a grandmother, Janet instilled these same values in her grandchildren and provided them with memories of joy, warmth and love. Affectionately known as “Grandma”, she was an active, hands-on grandmother who would run around the playground, swim at the pool, sit on the floor to play dolls, and snuggle on the couch to read stories with her granddaughters. 

Janet was an avid reader of historical novels and biographies and was a passionate and extremely talented quilter.  She made and gave away many beautiful quilts to family and friends and in conjunction with her local quilters’ guild members, provided new quilts to hospital NICU units and other charitable organizations.  She enjoyed fitness and staying active. She walked daily with her husband, rode bikes, climbed mountains, enjoyed yoga and water aerobics, and most recently took up golf.

Janet loved traveling and visiting new places.  When her children were young, she enrolled them in the “Junior Ranger” program at the many national parks they visited. Later in life Janet and her husband purchased an RV and visited many state parks and national parks throughout the United States. International travel included Montreal, London, much of Italy and use of time shares in Cancun and Curacao.  And as was her nature, Janet always made sure to visit and spend time with family at their homes across the country. 

Janet was predeceased by her parents and their little angel daughter, Susan, who died prior to Janet’s birth.  She is survived by her loving husband, Paul Joseph Adams, born in Houlton, ME.  They were married April 7, 1984, in Harmony Township, NJ and over their 40-year marriage owned homes in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Florida. Janet is also survived by her daughter, Sara (Adams) Sherrod and husband Matt Sherrod of Ferndale, WA, and her son Ryan Adams and wife Kaitlyn (Anderson) Adams and their daughters, Gracie and Hannah in Naples, FL.  She is also survived by her siblings Patricia Lynch (Michael), Marianne LeGrande (Edmund), Donald Mercer (Daniel Labbe) and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

  Janet was a true Patriot who admired and respected those who kept America free, especially her father who served in Europe during WWII. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please make a donation in Janet’s memory to organizations such as Veterans Association of America and Wounded Warriors.