Janet S. Bagdis - Smithfield

She was born in Worcester, Mass., a daughter of the late Ludwik A. and Sophie J. (Lemanski) Gutkowski. She had been a resident of Greenville since 1978 and previously had lived in Holden, Mass.

She was a devoted grandmother who attended hundreds of soccer, hockey, lacrosse, football and basketball games. An avid Boston sports fan, she also enjoyed mystery novels and gardening. She was active with Slack's Reservoir Association in Greenville and enjoyed playing bridge at the Smithfield Senior Center.

She retired in 1993 after nine years of service with Foster Parents Plan International, a community development organization that helps children in the world’s poorest countries. She previously had worked as sales administration manager at Siebe North/Norton Company Safety Products from 1971–1983. She was a 1941 graduate of Worcester Commerce High School, working as assistant to the president at St. Pierre Chain Company in Worcester during the 1940s. She raised her family in the Brentwood area of Holden, Mass. She survived the “Tornado of June 1953,” an F5 level storm that devastated the Brentwood area and took the lives and homes of her neighbors. She spent many years as an active volunteer in the Worcester area. She was a founding member of St. George's Catholic Church in Worcester and a member of the St. George's Women's Club. She held leadership positions in numerous Worcester charitable organizations. She served as chairman of the United Way Women's Division, vice president of the Director's Council of the Worcester Natural History Society, an Assumption College volunteer Dollars for Scholar's Ball and managed campaigns for Worcester Memorial Hospital and the Golden Rule Fund. She was a member of the Business & Professional Women's Association.

She was the loving mother of Lynne B. Wilson and her husband, Ira of Boston, Neil A. Bagdis and his wife Jody, of Paxton, Mass., and Jay Bagdis and his wife, Pam of Norristown, Pa. She was the devoted grandmother of eight, Bennett Wilson (20) and Tyler Wilson (19) of Boston, Chris Bagdis (29) of Wetherfield, Conn., Kate Bagdis (27) of Cambridge, Mass., Brad Bagdis (24) of Hoboken, N.J., Greg Bagdis (22) of Paxton, Mass., Jeffrey Bagdis (24) of Princeton, N.J., and Kimberly Bagdis (20) of Norristown, Pa. She was the sister of Matthew L. Gutkowski of Worcester, Mass., Helena T. Powell of Natick, Mass., and the late Irene C. Kapatoes.

Her funeral will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. from the Anderson-Winfield Funeral Home, Route 44 at Greenville Common, Greenville. A Mass of Christian Burial in St. Philip Church, 622 Putnam Pike, Greenville, will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Visitation is Wednesday from 4 - 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Catholic Relief Services, 228 W. Lexington, Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 to support Haitian Earthquake Relief Efforts (www.crs.org). For messages of condolence visit www.andersonwinfield.net