Janet Taylor

Janet (LaCava) Taylor of Kittery, Maine passed away peacefully in her home on March 27, 2023. Her husband of 51 years, Steven, was by her side.
The daughter of Salvatore (Sam) and Nancy LaCava of Portsmouth, NH, Janet graduated from Portsmouth High School with the Class of 1968. In her early years, she worked in the family business at LaCava Lobster in the South End of Portsmouth. It is impossible to know how many pounds of lobster meat she picked each summer during those years, but she was always quick to point out that it was how she paid for her school clothes every fall. While working at the lobster wharf, Janet met her husband, Steve, who sold his lobsters there daily. They became fast friends at the age of 13, and began dating after high school, eventually marrying in the fall of 1971.
Family meant everything to Janet. She was deeply passionate about her two children, Bret and Samantha, and that was only to be outdone years later by her love for her two energetic grandchildren, Avery and Arlo. She had an open heart and mind and was gracious and welcoming to everyone she encountered.
A devoted mother and homemaker, Janet enjoyed raising her two children and spending time with family. In recent years, she stayed busy doing part-time bookkeeping work for her son's two businesses, Taylor Lobster Company in Kittery, ME and Al's Seafood in North Hampton, NH.
Janet expressed her creativity by being a crafter extraordinaire, creating hundreds of paintings, quilts, needlepoints, decorated cakes, and anything and everything related to the holidays! A jigsaw puzzle enthusiast, her patience and skill were extraordinary.
She was extremely proud of her Sicilian heritage, and it shined through in her fantastic cooking (as well as her feistiness!) Over the years, Janet must have made at least 100,000 of her famous meatballs and her homemade sauce for family and friends. Her last batch was made with Steve and granddaughter, Avery, as she was intent on passing down the family tradition and recipe. Oh, how her heart was full that day!
Janet treasured spending time with Avery, teaching her crafting and cooking, and playing competitive games on the iPad. She was in awe of her new grandson, Arlo, and was looking forward to passing on family traditions to him in the coming years.
Janet will be lovingly remembered and missed by her husband, Steven; her son, Bret Taylor and wife Debra Boutot of Kittery; her daughter, Samantha Taylor and wife Jesse of York; her sister, Grace LaCava of Portsmouth; her sister, Judi LaCava Goldkamp and husband Karl of New Bern, N.C.; and her cherished grandchildren, Avery and Arlo, who made every day brighter and full of laughter. Janet was predeceased by her parents, Salvatore (Sam) and Nancy LaCava of Portsmouth, NH. She also leaves behind many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date later this Spring. Care for the Taylor family has been entrusted to the J S Pelkey and Son Funeral Home.