Published in the January 25, 2016 edition.
MEDFORD — Janet M. (Murphy) Fenton, 70, of Medford passed away on Friday, Jan. 22, at Lahey Hospital in Burlington surrounded by the family who cherished her. Jan was the devoted wife of 50 years to Charles H. Fenton and beloved mother of Dawn Millstone and her husband Jay, and Missy, Michael and Steven Fenton. She took special delight in spending time with her grandchildren, Sam and Mia Millstone.
Jan was a lifelong resident of Medford, where she met her soulmate Charles, or “Chick.” They were introduced as teenagers by the departed Patti Sencabaugh and her husband Don, who remained the couple’s closest friends. Chick’s naval service took them to Virginia for a short time but they chose to return home to Medford to raise their family. Jan and Chick raised their children in a household that emphasized empathy, kindness and respect. Their dedication to one another passed down to their four children who, though born across three decades, are deeply close.
Jan was happiest in the company of her loving family, which also includes Dee Klinckhardt, Todd Sherrick and the late Glenn Sherrick. the children of her dearly departed sister, Joan Sherrick and her dear cousin Lorraine Masson. Jan was also a beloved sister-in-law and aunt to Chick’s siblings Ed Fenton, Edie Fenton, Lucy Thompson. the departed Mildred Shaffer and their families. Her extensive network of family and friends is a testament to her most enduring quality: Her ability to forge relationships on a foundation of deepest love and loyalty. She was a fierce friend and “second mother” to many.
The family would like to extend their deepest thanks to the staff of Winchester Hospital, who tended to Jan and came to know her as a favorite patient in her final years and to the nurses and doctors of the MICU at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, who provided exceptional care in the face of insurmountable circumstances.
A funeral Service will be held Thursday, Jan. 28 at 11 a.m. at McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, Jan. 27, from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.
