Janet Loughlin

Meredith, NH – Janet Bidgood Loughlin, of the Lakes Region, passed away on February 12, 2025, at St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Home after many years of living with dementia. Born in Springfield, VT, on April 29, 1935, she was the second child and only daughter of Barnard and Erma (Bradish) Bidgood.

Janet grew up in Proctorsville, VT, and graduated from Rutland High School, Class of 1953. She pursued higher education at Simmons College before earning her nursing degree from the New England Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in May 1958. That same year, she married Bruce James “Jim” Loughlin, beginning a 52-year journey of love and partnership. Together, they raised two children, William and Karen, and their granddaughter, Cassandra.

A dedicated nurse, Janet began her career as an educator at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, where she taught courses on diabetes management. Later, she became a school nurse in Acton, MA, offering care and comfort to generations of students.

Janet had a gift for keeping things alive—not just in the gardens she nurtured but in the stories, traditions, and connections she cultivated throughout her life. Her mother, Erma, adorned her wedding with white geraniums, and Janet lovingly propagated cuttings from those flowers, ensuring their beauty endured for decades. Her gardens flourished with perennials she shared generously, leaving a living legacy that continues to bloom in gardens across New England.

Her love for history extended beyond plants to heirlooms and antiques. With a keen eye and an appreciation for the past, she delighted in discovering forgotten treasures and breathing new life into them, ensuring they found new purpose and appreciation. Antiquing was more than a pastime—it reflected her belief that everything, and everyone, carries a story worth preserving.

This passion for preservation also led her to genealogy. Janet spent years tracing her family's history, piecing together the past so future generations would always know where they came from. Just as she nurtured her gardens and restored antiques, she carefully tended to the roots of her family tree, ensuring that the stories of those who came before her would never be lost.

Her generosity was evident in every aspect of her life. She was deeply involved in AL-ANON, offering guidance to families facing hardship. She volunteered at the local hospital, providing care with her signature warmth and compassion. Her home was always open—a place of gathering, laughter, and quiet moments of reflection. Whether hosting holiday meals, preparing an impromptu feast for visitors, or sharing coffee on the porch overlooking Meredith Bay, Janet made everyone feel welcome.

She and Jim found their greatest joy by the water, cherishing every moment at the lake. Even when away, their hearts longed for its serenity. Janet’s love for tradition and simple pleasures was evident in her joy for lunch at Hart’s Turkey Farm or in the unexpected delight of baking cookies in the car’s glove box on road trips.

Janet was predeceased by her parents, her two brothers, William John Bidgood and Curtis Bidgood, and her husband, Bruce, who passed away in 2010 after facing years of illness with resilience and grace.

She is survived by her two children, William Richard Loughlin II and his wife Marcia, and Karen Bidgood Loughlin and her wife Nancy; her grandchildren, Cassandra O’Malley and her husband Bruce, Sarah Alley, and William Richard “Rick” Loughlin III; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

ARRANGEMENTS: A burial will take place at a later date at Hillcrest Cemetery in Proctorsville, VT. In lieu of flowers, donations in Janet’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH, Boscawen.

Janet's legacy endures in every blooming garden, every antique that gains a new purpose, and every story passed down through generations. She devoted her life to nurturing plants, people, and history, ensuring nothing meaningful was lost.