Janet Ballou Crimmins

1933 - 2024

Janet Ballou Crimmins

February 28, 1933 - July 2, 2024

Sacramento, California - Janet Ballou Crimmins sadly passed away in July at the age of 91. She was married to Philip Crimmins for 67 years and together they raised three children, Lisa Stillwell (William), Philip Jr. (Kim) and Michael (Robyn). They had four grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Janet and Philip spent most of their lives in Sacramento after growing up in Massachusetts. Our mom absolutely loved living in Northern California and here in Sacramento she created a happy and healthy home for all of us. She had a large group of lunchtime friends for many decades, was active in a local bowling league and volunteered for the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society. Our parents traveled to many countries and often went back to the east coast to visit with friends and family.

Janet graduated from American River College with an Associate in Arts degree in 2002. Our mom often reminisced about growing up in her neighborhood just outside of Boston. She seems to have had fun every day of the year. Whether it was going to school with friends, trudging through snow, swimming in Quincy Bay, or visiting with aunts and uncles, she found lots of joy in living. But her favorite day of the year was the Fourth of July. She called it a day long block party that started the night before with a beach bonfire that sent sparks into the bay. There was a parade, many activities, food for everyone and singing out loud. The night ended with a big fireworks display that reflected on the water to the sounds of the Star Spangled Banner. To Janet, the Fourth of July was better than Christmas Day. She is forever in our hearts.