Janet Duane Haley

Gifted, Radiant,

And Brave

Janet Duane Haley, 67, longtime resident of Trumbull and Middlebury, died at home September 13, surrounded by her loving family. She was born March 1, 1939, the daughter of Robert Duane and Alice (O’Hara) Haley of Long Hill.  

She is survived by her sisters, Roberta H. McNamara, formerly of Newtown and now of Blue Hill, Maine, and Rebecca H. McCall and her husband, Rob, of Blue Hill; her two loving daughters, Wendy Lee Kenyon and her fiancé, Mark Koschwitz, and Jane Ellen Kenyon, all of New Haven; her mother, Alice C. Neville, of Fairfield; a niece, Sarah Wass and her husband, Jonathan, of Limerick, Maine; and three nephews, Michael McNamara and his wife, Alexandra, of Fairfield, Robert McNamara and his wife, Tanya, of Naperville, Ill., and Daniel McCall of Blue Hill; as well as grandnieces and nephews and several cousins. 

She also leaves her former brothers and sisters-in-law, Wayne Kenyon and his wife, Debbie, Cheryl Szarek and her husband, Stan, and Betsy Stewart Kenyon, all of Newtown, and their families. Ms Haley was preceded in death by her father, portrait artist Robert Duane Haley; her former husband Clayton J. Kenyon, Jr, of Monroe, with whom she had two daughters; and her former second husband, Fred Weimann, of Trumbull.

Ms Haley grew up in Long Hill, and graduated from Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport and Butler Business School. She was employed by Vitramon, Inc in the early days of that company, and for many years, until her retirement in 2001, she was associated with Heise-Dresser in Newtown. In addition to her highly developed technical skills, she was also an artist, delighting her family and friends with painted portraits, still-lifes, and sketches and drawings that were charming and alive.

 A natural athlete, she showed unusual skill growing up, executing perfect jack-knife dives off the board at her beloved Old Mine Park in Long Hill, and spins and figure 8s on the ice at Witch Hazel Pond.  Until the onset of her illness in 2003, these skills stayed with her all her life and served her well in her lifelong love of the outdoors.  She was a true lifesaver, not only of injured birds and other creatures, but also of humans. At the age of 61, she alone rescued four people from drowning in the Cove River at West Haven Beach, and for this, the Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York presented her with a heroism award in April 2001, “for the rescue of human life on the sea or connecting waters.”

Ms Haley was gifted, radiant, and brave, and will be forever missed by her family and friends.

A service celebrating her life will be held at the Middlebury Congregational Church, 1242 Whittemore Road, on the Green in Middlebury, Saturday, September 16, at 11 am.  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford CT 06405, or the Connecticut Audubon Society, 2325 Burr Street, Fairfield CT 06824.

The Newtown Bee     September 15, 2006