Mrs. Janice Bennett Cardwell passed away on Nov. 10, 2017 in Mount Vernon,Wash. She was 86 years old and a resident of Oak Harbor. Janice was born in Aurora, Ill. on May 31, 1931 to Robert Brown Bennett and Eulah Stevens Bennett, who were born in Buffalo, N.Y. and Downers Grove, Ill. respectively. Post-depression, the charges relative to her birth at Copley Hospital for delivery, doctor and pediatrician were $154.05, which included an 11-day stay.
Jann enjoyed a happy childhood with her brother Kirk Bennett, adored him and loved herparents very much. As a young girl she was very artistic, quite social, had beautiful and perfect handwriting and did very well in school. Even during the winter of her life, her handwriting, which was a combination of printing and cursive, was beautiful, neat and very unusual. How Jann signed her name on cards varied throughout the seasons of her life, and as a family we loved her more because it takes a very different person to alter their signature and still have a strong sense of self. Common signatures were Janice B. Cardwell, janice b cardwell, or Jann Cardwell. Her messages on cards were often funny, very interesting and always delightful. Indeed, she had the ability to view the world in a very personal and unique way. During her life she worked at Lord & Taylor in New York City, a bank, a travel agency, funeral home and and country club.
Jann loved her home on the island and demonstrated the ability to combine design elements that worked very well together. Each item had purpose, a place and was specific to the desired effect of the whole.
Everything was well thought out and planned for in advance. In life she had a cheerful disposition, was complimentary to her children and loved her family. She loved roses, puppies, coconut shrimp, the ocean, anything sweet, old world beauty, lovely paintings and the grace and manor specific to her time. Jann liked football and baseball, talk radio, music, popcorn, tulips, color and texture, watching the birds outside her window and the natural beauty of the area in which she lived.
We will remember her sunny nature, creativity, kindness and her love and faith to do good in the spirit of treating people in the way that she would want to be treated.
Janice is survived by her devoted and loving husband of many, many years Melvin L. Cardwell, Kirk and Madeleine (Dolly) Bennett (brother and wife), Jana Marie Linnin Scalzo (daughter), Christopher Bennett Linnin Sr. and Denise Cahan Linnin (son and wife), Stevens Bennett Linnin and Amanda Boyd Linnin (son and wife), Amy Catherine Elizabeth Scalzo McNeely (granddaughter) and Aaron Glenn McNeely, Kelly Carlton Scalzo (grandson), Christopher Bennett Linnin Jr. and Johnathan Bennett Linnin (grandsons), Jenn Young Cardwell, Brycen Bennett and Grant Michael Cardwell (grandsons), Lisa Marie Bennett Geffner, Paul Geffner, Ben Geffner, Ian Bennett, and Hannah Gabrielle McNeely, Chole Madison McNeely, Jadon Timothy McNeely, Emma Grace McNeely and Joshua Aaron McNeely (great grandchildren).
Janice is proceeded in death by David Bennett Cardwell (son), Andrew Bennett Cardwell (son) and Timothy Vincent Scalzo (son-in-law). Services will be private.
