Janet Yvonne Waters

Janet Y. Waters (Desrosiers), born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on January 27, 1951, passed away peacefully on January 4, 2026, following a long illness, including a double lung transplant three years ago. Janet was the beloved wife of Rodney Waters for 54 years. She was predeceased by her parents Norman and Juliette (Leduc) Desrosiers and her sister Elaine Desrosiers.

Janet was a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University where she earned her Master’s Degree in Math Education. Janet was a much admired 8th Grade Math teacher at Putnam Middle School for 38 years before retiring in 2010. Her passion for her students and teaching practical life math skills was evident to all who stepped into her classroom, including her two daughters, whom she had as students.

Janet loved to travel and after her retirement, she and her husband Rodney traveled in their motorhome all over the USA and Canada. Janet was also an avid crafter, enjoying macrame, jewelry making, making resin art with treasures she found shell and sea glass hunting in Florida. She was a life-long knitter and was famously known to knit slippers and made sure that anyone who visited her at her homes in both Thompson and Marco Island, Florida left their visit with a pair.

Janet was most passionate about her family. She is survived by her two loving daughters, Sherri Laabs and her husband Jason of Wethersfield, Connecticut, and Kristen Caudill and her husband Clarke of Dublin, Ohio; her four beloved granddaughters Julia Laabs, Carly Laabs, Sylvia Caudill and Sydney Caudill; her siblings, Richard Desrosiers of Austin, Texas and Paul Desrosiers and his wife Ashley of Rockport, Massachusetts. Janet is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews.

There will be no calling hours and funeral arrangements and a celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Janet was also so blessed to have great doctors and caregivers throughout her lung transplant at Duke University Hospital. Therefore, In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation in Janet’s name can be made to the Palmer Lung Transplant Fund at Duke University Hospital. https://giving.dukehealth.org/ways-to-give/how-to-give/tribute-giving