Janice Ann Bowers

Janice Ann Bowers (nee Bretsch), cherished wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2021 with her children by her side. She was 72 years old. 

 Janice was born in Jamaica, Queens on August 25, 1949 to Margaret and Arthur Bretsch. She married the love of her life, Richard Bowers, on August 17, 1974 in West Babylon, NY. Janice and Rich built their life together and raised their family in Sayville, NY.

Janice was a devoted and loving wife to Rich, mother to Timothy and Kerrin and grandmother to Miles and Theodore. Janice’s family was everything to her and there was nothing she would not do for them. The only thing that ran a close second was her joy of teaching and her devotion to her many, many students. Janice often said “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life” and considered herself blessed to be able to do what she loved so much. Janice was a beloved teacher to so many kindergarteners, first graders and second graders (her “cuties”) in the Sayville Public School District, where she taught at Lincoln Avenue Elementary School for 25 years until her retirement in 2013.

Janice is survived by her devoted husband of 47 years, Rich; her adored children, Tim (Kristin) and Kerrin (Stanley); her cherished grandsons, to whom she was affectionately known as “Grammy,” Miles and Theodore; her caring sister-in-law Jane Baumgarten (Jack, deceased); and her loving nephew Thomas (Alexander).

 In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Janice’s honor to the Erin Halliday-Duffy scholarship, founded in honor of Janice’s late Lincoln Avenue colleague, Erin Halliday-Duffy. Checks can be made payable to Erin Halliday-Duffy Scholarship and mailed to Michael Dileo at 44 Marlene Drive, Sayville, NY 11782.