Janice Irene (Newcomb) Norwood, 83, passed away peacefully on April 8, 2024, at Sussman Hospice House in Rockport, Maine after a brief period of declining health. She had been residing at Woodlands Memory Care facility in Rockland since October 2017.

She was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, Robert Norwood Sr., in May 2012 and by her daughter, Jennifer Sue Norwood, in March 1973.

Janice was born on April 17, 1940, to the late Norma (Lewis) Newcomb Lowery and the late Ernest Newcomb. She had five older brothers and one younger sister. She graduated from Boothbay Region High School in 1957, completed some secretarial courses in Portland and then married Bob Norwood on Oct. 12, 1957. They lived on Union Street in Boothbay Harbor for five years before moving to their home of over 50 years on School Street in East Boothbay in 1963, where they spent many years working tirelessly on renovating their old house and completely remodeled the inside.

Janice had a very green thumb and had many beautiful house plants, but she loved her spectacular flower gardens and had an amazing vegetable garden every year. Among her other activities were sewing, reading, cross-stitch, needlepoint, board games (especially Scrabble), walking, cross-country skiing, and an uncanny ability to identify plants in the wild. However, she is best remembered for her baking skills! For years Janice was well-known for her pies and Maine blueberry coffee cakes. She eventually started selling them at a local fish market during the summer months and soon started providing blueberry cakes for the Cabbage Island clambakes. 

When her children were young, summer was spent going on picnics, swimming, and entertaining the many friends and relatives who loved to come to Maine for a nice visit. The highlight of the summer was going on the lobster boat for picnics to Outer Heron Island, which became a family summer tradition.

Janice was always involved in the community and her children’s school activities, such as the Scouts, science fairs, bake sales, parades, and her sons' sporting events to name a few. She was also involved in many church events at several different churches- the Chili competition, coffee hour and the Fishermen's Festival each year. 

Later in life, Janice worked at various jobs outside the home: Kitchen work at several local bed and breakfasts, baking blueberry cakes for the clambakes, working at Boothbay Region Greenhouses and finally ending up in the kitchen at Cove's Edge nursing home in Damariscotta, from which she retired around 2011. 

Also, during this time Janice was blessed with nine grandchildren that she enjoyed spending time with. She especially loved taking them to Ocean Point for picnics on the rocks, going to local playgrounds, playing board games (Scrabble!), playing mini golf, and getting ice cream and telling jokes. She was the queen of corny jokes!

Janice had many friends and will be remembered for her witty jokes and sense of humor, community and church involvement, her delicious baked goods, and her love for her family.

She is survived by her brother, David Newcomb of The Villages in Florida; her brother, James Barter of Sacramento, California; her sister, Sandra Lowery of Winslow; her daughter, Patti Hormell of Asheville, North Carolina; her son, Robert Norwood Jr. of Orr's Islands; her son, Steve Norwood of Warren, Rhode Island; her son, Jeffrey and wife Mary of Boothbay; her nine grandchildren: Jennifer and Brian Stearns of Holly Springs, North Carolina, Sarah and Dave Groleau of Fairview, North Carolina, Scott Norwood of Boothbay, Tim and Megan Norwood of Woolwich, Kevin and Sarah Norwood of Texas, Matt Norwood of Belfast, Aaron Norwood of Providence, Rhode Island, and Joshua and Caleb Norwood of Maine; her eight great-grandchildren: Ian Norwood, Calla, Rowan, and Lucian Groleau, Sophia Norwood, Grayson, Cannon and Echo Norwood.

Janice's final resting place will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Boothbay, next to her husband and her daughter. A celebration of her life will be held sometime in the summer of 2024.

Halls of Boothbay has care of the arrangements. To offer online condolences, or to share a story or photo, visit Janice’s Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.