Janet Alpers Richardson

Janet Alpers Richardson September 5, 2013 Portland - Janet Alpers Richardson, 84, of Baxter Blvd., died from complications related to Wegener's Disease September 5, 2013 at the Gosnell Hospice House with her family by her side. Born in New York City, she was the daughter of Ernest and Margaret Bracken Alpers. She graduated from Westfield (NJ) High School in 1946, Smith College, Northampton, MA in 1950, spending her junior year in Mexico, and received her Master's in Education from the University of Southern Maine in 1979. Janet began her teaching career as a Spanish teacher at Gould Academy in 1950, the same year she married her husband Vance Richardson who was also a teacher at Gould. She left teaching in 1953 to raise her children. In 1967 Janet went back to teaching Spanish at Waynflete School. She was also a private tutor. She retired in 1984. Janet's love for travel started as a child. She traveled with her mother extensively. On many occasions she traveled to Mexico, including a trip to Oaxaca this year. She traveled with OLLI, Elderhostel and enjoyed traveling with friends and family. A lifelong tennis player, she played competitively as a junior in New Jersey. She also played competitively as well as socially in Maine. She was active in TIME and MTA events. Hers was one of the founding families of Sunday River; it was there and earlier at the ""Gould Hill"" that she learned to ski and later became a ski instructor. An avid reader, she belonged to local book clubs, enjoyed playing bridge, and read the New York Times daily. She also enjoyed spending time at the family camp on Howard Pond in Hanover. She was an active volunteer with the Alzheimer's Association, participated in Alumni events at Smith College, and was a museum docent at the Portland Museum of Art. She was also the local coordinator for an international exchange program with the Experiment in International Living. She helped high school, college students, and young professionals find local host families. Janet was predeceased by her husband Vance Richardson in 2004. She is survived by her daughters, Carol Rodgers and husband Jim, of Belchertown, MA and Marta Hunt and husband David of Seattle, WA, and son Stephen Richardson of South Portland. She is also survived by grandchildren, Jonathan Rodgers and Elizabeth Rodgers both of Los Angeles, CA, William Hunt of Deep Springs, CA and Lucia Hunt of Seattle, WA. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, Sept. 28th at State Street Church, 159 State Street, Portland, ME, with the Reverend Jeanette A. Good, PhD. officiating. Arrangements are by A.T. Hutchins Funeral and Cremation Services, Portland. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in her name to the Maine Alzheimer's Association, 383 US Route 1, Suite 2C, Scarborough, Maine 04074.