Janet W. Kirk

1947 - 2020

Janet Wester Kirk of Cheshire, Connecticut, loving wife & soulmate of Thomas A. Kirk, Jr., Ph.D., died on March 31, 2020. She was 73 years old. Janet was born on March 9, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA to the late Florence L. & Robert E. Wester. She was the oldest of 2 children, her brother Eric R. Wester predeceasing her. Janet was a resident of Richmond, VA, Northern VA, & Ridgefield & Cheshire, CT. However, no matter where she called home, her favorite place was the beach. Janet earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University & eventually worked there. She also met her husband Tom there. Janet & Tom were married on April 11, 1977 in Richmond, VA. A close friend of Janet's commented that when you referred to the couple, it was really in the form of one word, "JanetandTom." Their love for each other was deep & they enjoyed a rich, long life together. After marriage Janet worked in sales & was a homemaker who held down the fort as she encouraged Tom to devote his time to improve the lives of people as a public servant. Those who met Janet knew they were in the presence of a true original. Patchouli was her calling card. Janet was imaginative & mysterious. Modest about her beauty, Janet's style was quirky & sophisticated. She was thoughtful & always willing to help, with a dry wit & contagious laugh that you looked forward to. Many called her a badass after she passed & we agree she'd be happiest with that term. Never stodgy, holiday dinners with family weren't complete until Janet had instigated a whipped cream fight. She was a collector of oddities, everything from mannequin pieces to rocks & feathers. A trip to the Kirk house was a story to share & not soon forgotten. Often the smartest person in the room, Janet was an avid reader, stacks of books on everything from ancient history to fantasy in her collection. She was a member of the book group "Words of Mouths" for 13 years. Beginning at 60, Janet shook off her nerves & started asking for tattoos & a piercing for birthdays & Mother's Day. Her daughter was happy to oblige & cherishes those memories of Mother/Daughter dates. Not a lover of "the general public", Janet was happiest curled up with her cats at home doing a crossword puzzle (in pen) or birdwatching in her backyard. She did love to explore new places & visited Ireland & Scotland among others. She was a dedicated UCONN basketball & Yankees fan. Art was always a central part of her life, but Janet really grew as an artist in the final decades of her life. She was not limited to any one medium. She enjoyed & taught needlepoint & embroidery & had a keen eye for design, color, & thread choices. She was a member of The American Needlepoint Guild & was a past president of the Connecticut chapter. Janet worked in drawing, oils, acrylics, colored pencil, watercolor, pen & ink, pastel & felting. She taught & studied at Artsplace for over 15 years, a free-standing art school owned by the town of Cheshire. Janet was survived by her husband Tom of 42 years, but only by 9 days. Tom followed Janet shortly after her passing. We are comforted by their eternal togetherness in spirit. Janet is survived by her daughter Jessica Kirk of Cheshire, CT; stepson Michael Kirk, his wife Julie and Janet's grandchildren Patrick and Molly Kirk of Warrenton, VA. She is predeceased by her brother Eric R. Wester. She is survived by her sister-in-law Dani Wester, niece Marisa N. Smith & great-nephew Max Smith of Falls Church, VA & niece Nina Wester of Seattle, WA. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Clare Beirne of Phillipsburg, NJ, Sr. Patricia Kirk of Baltimore, MD & many beloved nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Artsplace. If you are interested in donating, please send your donation to: Friends of CPFA, Attention: Donna Mark, 18 Pleasant St., Cheshire, CT 06410. PLEASE PUT IN THE MEMO THAT IT IS FOR "ART HEALS." Celebration of Life services are to be determined at a later time.