Montpelier, VT Janice H. Abair- On July 1, 2017, our beloved Aunt Janice shed her earthly bonds and went to dwell in the house of our Lord after a brief illness at Central VT Medical Center. Janice, a life long resident of Montpelier, VT was born in on October 8, 1930 to Joseph and Helena (D'Arthenay) Abair. She attended St. Michael's Graded and High School and Vermont Community College. Her first job was as a Secretary in the National Life State Agency of Montpelier. During her career she served many Agency Divisions as a Secretary, Administrative Secretary, Administrative Assistant, Public Relations and Employee Specialist. Most of her service was in the Executive Division. She was coordinator of many Interstate 89 openings, did public relations for Vermont's Green Up Day, even going on the Green Up Day helicopter tour with Governor Snelling as the pilot. In 1977 Janice was promoted into the position and work she was most proud of in the Personnel Division as an Employee Relations Specialist to prepare the first Agency Affirmative Program, set up an Employee Recognition Program and to recruit females and minorities for the workplace. In 1981 she went into the Contract Administrative Division with responsibilities for Labor Compliance, On-The-Job Training Program for females and minorities and conducting performance overviews on designated Davis-Bacon Act subcontractors. One of her favorite on-site visit duties was walking bridge beams and climbing Interstate ledges while wearing a hardhat and work boots. Janice retired in 1995 after 43 years of service from the Vermont Transportation Agency. Janice followed in her Father's footsteps of dedicated civil service that spanned 16 years. She spent 5 years on the Montpelier City Council, 5 years on the Planning Commission, 6 years on the Recreation Board as well as many City Committees. While on the Recreation Board she was instrumental in getting girls the right to play baseball and in preventing the tearing down of what is now the home of Montpelier's Vermont Mountaineers. In 1980 Mayor Nichols sent her to represent Montpelier at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics, she received the Woman of Year Award from the Montpelier Business and Professional Woman's Club in 1981 and was Montpelier Rotary's 2005 Distinguished Citizen of the Year. After retiring, Janice volunteered as a Tour Guide at the State House, was Montpelier's City Historian and served on the Board of Directors of the Montpelier Historical Society. She was a lifelong parishioner of St Augustine's Church in Montpelier, VT. While appointed the City Historian, Janice again followed in her Father Joseph's footsteps when she worked on "Ice and Water" the 1992 flood book. Her Father authored the 1927 flood booklet. She joked that she didn't "expect such a momentous occasion" referring to the March 1992 flood as her welcome to the job. Janice is survived by her nephew George Abair Jr and wife, Mary Donald-Abair of Williston, VT; Niece Sarah Abair of Barre, VT and Tami Abair of Montpelier, wife of Late Nephew Mark Abair and cousins Marina D'Arthenay and Courtney D'Arthenay of Pembroke, Ontario; Kimberley D'Arthenay, Dylan D'Arthenay-Anderson and Jennifer Tracy (Steven) of Castlerock, CO. She is predeceased by her parents, her brother George J. Abair Sr. and his wife Clarice Russell Abair and Nephew, Mark Abair and Niece Margaret Abair and Cousin Jack D'Arthenay. Calling hours are on Friday, July 7, 2017 from 6 – 8 PM at the Guare and Sons Funeral Home on School St, Montpelier, VT. A Celebration of Mass will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 10 AM at St. Monica Church on Summer St, Barre, VT. A reception will follow at the church after the service. Internment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations in Janice's memory be made to the Alzheimer's Association at 300 Cornerstone Drive Ste 130, Williston VT 05495.