Obituary of Janet Buchanan Smith

          An independent and vivacious intellectual, Janet Buchanan Smith (August 6, 1932 to May 20, 2023) graduated with a degree in mathematics from Middlebury College in Vermont  and moved to Rochester, NY where she worked for Kodak. She married Donald P. Smith in 1956 and raised six children in Webster, NY while furthering her studies in music theory and history at Eastman School of Music. She also taught piano at home.

           In 1982, the family moved to Ontario, NY where Janet added several horses to the beloved menagerie of animals which surrounded her throughout her life. Following Don’s unexpected death in 1983, Janet committed herself to preserving the vital wetlands which surrounded their property and created a 187 acre environmental easement with the cooperation of the Genesee Land Trust. She married Robert E. Smith in 1996 and together they shared a love of travel, their beloved dogs, and spending time with family.

          Janet was an accomplished watercolor artist, a philanthropist, and a literary educator at School #22 in Rochester. She was a devoted member of Webster Presbyterian Church for 60 years. She impressed everyone who met her with her unconventional personality and spoke profoundly about music, poetry, politics, her faith and cosmology.

          Janet is predeceased by her parents and her sister Gail. She is survived by her husband, six children (Andrew, Jennifer, Margaret, Amanda, Jonathan, Matthew) and their spouses, her sisters Laurie and Ginny, three step-children (Catharine, Gretchen, James) and their spouses, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

          In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Rochester Area Community Foundation’s Smith2 Fund for Rochester’s Children (https://www.racf.org/fund/the-smith2-fund-for-rochesters-children/)

          No prior calling hours. A Memorial Service will be held 11:00AM Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Webster Presbyterian Church, 550 Webster Rd., Webster.