Janet Marie Robinson Richardson Finnerty, age 83 and long time resident of Olga on Orcas Island, Wash., passed away peacefully surrounded by her two oldest loving daughters, holding her hands, on May 18, 2007 after a courageous two-year battle with cancer.

Janet was born on October 14, 1923 in Zion, Ill. to Reverend John and Marie Robinson as the first-generation American and the oldest of six children.

At a young age, it was obvious that she would be a gifted pianist as she became her father’s church organist. She graduated from high school a year early with a 4.0 grade point average in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She then moved on to the University of South Dakota, receiving her Batchelor of Arts Degree in music. She was voted Miss Dakota in 1945 and was accepted by the National Professional Sorority participating in “royal activities” and graduated Cuma Sum Laude.

Janet married her college sweetheart Alonzo Haventon Richardson in 1945, who was also a gifted musician and composer. They moved to California where Alonzo worked as a high school teacher and Janet stayed home to raise their family.

Alonzo preceded Janet in death in 1965 and she obtained her teaching credentials and taught 5th and 6th grade and met and married her school principal Ralph Finnerty in 1972. They found Orcas Island on one of many boating trips, dropped their anchor and spent many happy years together boating and traveling until his death in 1999.

She had a group of close friends that she went walking with to keep in shape and would spend her days visiting the sick and elderly friends with food and gifts. Janet never met a stranger. It seemed everywhere she went, she would run into somebody she knew. She will be missed very much.

Surviving Janet are her four children, 12 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren: Susan Carol Richardson of St. Paul, Minn.; Darcy (Susanne) Haventon Richardson of Mukilteo, Wash.; Pamela Lee Elston (Rusty) of Castle Rock, Colo.; and Jennifer Richardson of Everett, Wash. Her ashes will be sprinkled on the same site as her beloved husband at a private family gathering at their favorite fishing site in the Sound.

A celebration of Janet’s life will take place at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Saturday Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. followed by a potluck at the Parish Hall.

Memorial donations may be given to the Orcas Senior Center.