Janet Ross Eberman, 101, resident of New Canaan since 1941, died peacefully on Monday evening, October 3rd at the Waveny Care Center, where she served faithfully for years as a volunteer before moving there in December 2010 from the New Canaan Inn.
Born Janet Appleton Ross in Brooklyn, New York on May 8, 1910, she was the third child of Winifred Appleton Ross of Brooklyn, New York and Donald Ross, native of Glasgow, Scotland. Her sister, Katharine Barnes, and brother, Donald Ross, Jr., predeceased her.
She graduated from Packer Academy in Brooklyn and, in 1931, from Vassar College. While working as secretary to the editor of the magazine “Arts and Decorations” she met the art director, Edwin Eberman. They were married on October 12, 1935 at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, and lived in New York City and Brooklyn Heights before moving in 1941 to New Canaan.
Both Janet and Ed (as he was known) became active members of this community. Ed served on the New Canaan Board of Education, and, following his retirement from the Famous Artists Schools, of which he was a founder, played an instrumental role in the foundation of the the and . He died in 1986 at the age of 81.
Throughout her life, Janet cheerfully devoted her considerable energies to volunteer responsibilities. An early photograph shows her at age eight in a Red Cross pinafore and cap intently knitting for the troops in France. As a member of the Women’s Sewing Group, she knitted numerous baby sweaters for sales supporting the . The conferred upon her an honorary award for more than 5,000 hours of volunteer service over the years. Her weekly service at Waveny continued up to her one hundredth year.
A dedicated member of the Congregational Church, she served over the years on the Women’s League, the Women’s Fellowship, the Board of Deacons and the Board of Home Ministries Connecticut Women’s Fellowship. She participated in a Sunday evening Congregational Church group that started as a dinner group in the early 1980’s and evolved into a book discussion group that continues to this day.
Janet is survived by her four children — Alice Jennings (David) of New Canaan; Barbara Fisher (James) of Sudbury, Massachusetts; Margot de Ferranti (David) of McLean, Virginia; and Ross Eberman (Cynthia) of Portland, Oregon. She leaves behind eleven grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at the on Saturday, October 22 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions in honor of Janet may be made either to the Congregational Church, the New Canaan Inn, or Waveny Care Center.
