Janice M. Graton, 81

HOLDERNESS  — Janice May (Armstrong) Graton, 81, passed away on March 12, 2026, at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, following a period of declining health.

She was born in Franklin, on Oct. 2, 1944, the daughter of Jack and Lucille (MacDonald) Armstrong. Janice was raised in Meredith, attended Meredith schools and attended Inter-Lakes High School.

Janice relocated to Holderness following her school years. She worked in retail sales at the Tanger Outlets in Tilton, and also at Osco Drug. She enjoyed knitting, gardening and spending any time possible with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She enjoyed a good book and a cup of coffee, and she was known for making her strawberry jam or baking her date-filled cookies. She was fiercely loyal to the people she loved and had a sly, mischievous sense of humor. A little fiery at times, she never hesitated to speak her mind and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone — some even who she had gone to grade school with decades earlier. Family gatherings were rarely quiet when she was around, especially when a card game was involved and her competitive side came out. She will be remembered for her strong spirit, her humor, and the many small ways she made family life, well ... family.

Janice is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Laurent and husband Kevin of Connecticut, Kristin Fields and husband Scott of Holderness; her grandchildren, Jedrek Laurent and Mason Laurent, and Audrey Fields; great-grandchildren Adonis and Maddux Laurent; her sister Katheryn Armstrong of Tamworth; as well as life-long friend Linda Vassil.

A celebration of life will be held this summer.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Janice’s name to either the Payson Center for Cancer Care, 250 Pleasant St., Concord, NH 03301, or the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care, 154 Hitchcock Loop Road, Lebanon, NH 03766.