Janet C. Cropley

Durham - Janet C. Cropley, 84, died peacefully with family by her side, on June 9, 2023, at her home in Durham, Maine.
Jan was born on January 16, 1939, in Southwest Harbor, Maine, a daughter of the late Reginald and Dorothy (Ballard) Clark. In 1958, she married the love of her life, Ronald Cropley in Southwest Harbor and spent the first 20 years of marriage living all over the world while Ron served as a member of the United States Army. They settled in Troy in 1976 when Ron retired, where Jan began to sew herself into the fabric of the town and surrounding communities.
Jan worked for many years as the town clerk for the town of Troy. She served her community as a former secretary for the Unity Area Rotary and for the Troy Union Church. She also belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary, the Troy Historical Society and was the treasurer for the Ladies Auxiliary. In her spare time, she enjoyed sewing, gardening and genealogy. Bowling played a special part in her life, giving her many hours of enjoyment that she shared with her husband, creating many friendships. She loved watching the Red Sox and was always trying to join their coaching staff.
Jan was always quick to offer love, help and guidance to family, friends, and community groups. No matter the task she was all in. Jan was often seen with a laugh and smile, possessed a quick wit and more than her fair share of common sense. Jan had a special way of guiding those that were lost and caring for those needing help. Her remarkable green thumb grew a wonderful garden of flowers and friends. Jan easily formed lasting friendships and even an unexpected special bond with a dog named Charlotte. The world was a better place with her in it and she will be greatly missed by many.
She is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Cropley Evans and husband Keith, of Lakeland, MN; her sons: Alan R. Cropley and wife Penny of Evensville, TN and Aaron W. Cropley and wife Vicki of Durham; grandchildren: Charissa Honefanger and husband Chris of Springfield, Ohio, Sarah Cropley of Scarborough, and Mariah Clemons and husband Andrew of Standish; step grandchildren: Katie Evans and Allen Evans of Lakeland, MN, Elizabethe Kuhn and husband Jeremy of Mableton, GA, and AJ Wouters of Carson City, MI; great-grandchildren: Calvin Honefanger, Layla and Liam Evans-Ellingson, Kaylie Clemons, Luca Evans-Skipton and another great granddaughter joining late this fall; siblings: Connie Spear of North Miami Beach, FL, Karen Young of Seal Cove, Keith and wife Nancy Clark of Southwest Harbor, Mark and wife Laura Clark of Ft Wayne, IN, Kirk Clark of Trenton; sisters-in-law: Faith (Dean) of Virginia Beach, VA, and Grace (Richard) of Pennsylvania; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was predeceased by husband of 62 years, Ronald Cropley; brothers, Hal Clark, Richard Clark and Dean Clark; and brother-in-law Duane Cropley.
A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m., Friday, June 30, 2023, at the Maine Veterans Blue Star Memorial Cemetery, 143 Blue Star Memorial Avenue in Augusta. A gathering will follow at the American Legion Post 205, 396 Eastern Avenue, Augusta, and all are welcome.
The family would like to send a sincere and heartfelt thanks to the CHANS hospice team for providing the resources and compassionate care Jan received.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to the American Legion Unit 50 (Benjamin Berry
American Legion Auxiliary, Unit #50 P. O. Box 105 Unity, Maine 04988 c/o Sharon Spaulding, Treasurer) or to the Troy Union Church (c/o Norma Rossel, Treasurer, 479 Bangor Road Troy, Maine 04987 ) in her memory.
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Care has been provided by Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Pittsfield.