Janis "Jan" Van Vlack

Janis 'Jan' (Kisner) Van Vlack, 77 BOOTHBAY HARBOR -- Janis 'Jan' (Kisner) Van Vlack, 77, died at her home in Boothbay Harbor, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, after a seven year battle with acute COPD and diabetes. Janis was the daughter and only child of Stanley F. Kisner and Philene E. (Pierce) Kisner of Hartford, Conn. She was born at the Hartford Hospital on Aug. 18, 1931, and lived in Hartford the first 50 odd years of her life. She visited her mother's family on Westport Island, while growing up, during the summer months and holiday season each year. Being a 'Depression Child' Jan had a rich but tough childhood, both physically and economically. Her father died suddenly when she was just seventeen. With a semi-invalid mother, Jan immediately became head of the household upon graduation from Hartford High School in 1949. She went to work as a secretary at the Aetna Life & Casualty Co. in Hartford for $18.00 per week. Somehow Jan found time to indirectly pursue her dream as an operatic singer and took evening courses in voice, choral singing, performing and theory at the Haste School of Music, now part of the University of Hartford. Although she was never able to continue her studies she joined the Connecticut Opera Association and remained an active singing member until 1960. Her specialty was singing in the opera Carmen. In 1951 Jan met her husband-to-be, Milton C. Van Vlack, at the Laurel Music Camp in Winsted, Conn. Jan was head counselor and Milt was the waterfront director. They were married in the Hartford Broadview Community Church in June 1955. In 1962 their daughter and only child Tracey arrived and Jan became a stay at home mom. When Tracey entered high school Jan started a second career as a Specialized Bulkeley High School Media Secretary in charge of 60,000 textbooks and instructional media for a 2500 pupil high school. In the years in between, Jan had a very full and varied life. On her 21st birthday, Jan marched downtown and registered as a republican voter. From then on Jan took part in local political and civic activities until her health gave out, some 50 years later. She was a Harford Republican Town Committee member from 1956-1976, a Justice of the Peace from 1966-1976, Hartford Polling District #10 Moderator from 1964-1978 and a Hartford Jury Commissioner from 1977-1980. Jan was always very involved and active in several varied organizations. From 1955-1965 she spent 15 hours per week as a certified nurses aid at the Hartford Hospital. At her church from 1955-1977 she was the Social Activities Chairperson and choir soloist. With her mother she remained a super active member of the greater Hartford Garden Club from 1955-1980. While her daughter was in grammar school Jan became the P.T.A. president from 1964-1967. Starting in 1979 she worked her way up to a world class quilter in 1985. In 1992 she retired from her Janis 'Jan' (Kisner) Van Vlack 15 year second career. She and her husband then revived a 40 year old dream of renovating an 18th century house. Two years later they moved permanently to Boothbay Harbor, where they had summered since the mid 1960s. They had found their fix-up dream house there and devised a five year do-it-yourself rejuvenation and revitalization plan for the house. Over the next eight years the house became the delight of the local community. It was noted for its mid winter weekend open house to the community at large, for its holiday season displays and Jan's beautiful designed cottage perennial gardens. Itching to get back into community service, Jan was happy to be appointed a member of the town budget committee in 1996. She held the position for seven years, being chairman the last two. Both Jan's mother and mother-in-law were professional flower garden specialists. Her mother specialized in rose gardening and garden slide lectures to many botanical organizations during the 1950s through the late 1960s. Jan's mother-in-law specialized in perennial gardening from 1950 to 1980 and was known through articles in the Horticulture Magazine for her colonial cottage garden designs. They had an eager student in Jan, plus Jan's own individualized studies with Connecticut flower growers. Over 50 years Jan accumulated a 300 book library just in perennial gardening. In her own right she was a professional perennial garden designer. From the 1970s through the turn of the 21st century she spent her summers at Conley's Garden Center in Boothbay Harbor designing and creating flower window boxes for the local motels and homes. A sorrowful farewell will be made to this highly talented and giving lady. Jan is survived by her devoted husband of 54 years, Milton C. Van Vlack of Boothbay Harbor; and her loving daughter, Tracey, also of Boothbay Harbor. Her husband Milt and daughter Tracey wish to extend a big and heartfelt thank you for the excellent care and concern for Jan, expressed by Dr. Alan Barker at St. Andrews Family Care Center and the entire Miles Home Health & Hospice staff throughout her long suffering days of her terminal illness. It will never be forgotten. On Friday, March 6, 2009, visitations and a celebration of Jan's life will be held from 7-9 in the evening, at Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay. Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Services and Cremation Services, Boothbay. At Jan's request, in lieu of her passion for flowers, she asked that donations be made in her memory to: The American Lung Association 122 State St. Augusta, Maine 04330 or The Lincoln County Animal Shelter P.O. Box 7 Edgecomb, Maine 04556