Janet Louise Toole

Janet L. Toole (Petitt), age 80, of Middletown, RI, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
Born in Philadelphia, PA she was the daughter of the late Robert and Doris (Armstrong) Petitt. Janet married Kenneth R. Toole of Cranston, RI on September 1, 1962, in Haddonfield, NJ. They settled in Staatsburg, NY where they raised their three children. In addition to being a warm, loving, and dedicated mother, Jan worked as a registered nurse for over a decade, most of which was spent as an Emergency Room trauma nurse.
One of her greatest joys was spending time with and doting on her family. She was an adoring, proud and affectionate Nana. An accomplished pianist, Jan started playing as a teenager in Haddonfield; she accompanied school and church chorus and also played for church services. She was an organist at both St. James Episcopal Church and St. Margaret Episcopal Church in Hyde Park, NY, as well as an accompanist for the Portsmouth, RI senior center chorus and, lastly, a preschool music teacher in Brewster, MA. Janet delighted in calling friends and family on birthdays to regale them with "Happy Birthday" over the phone. Many wonderful times were enjoyed, and memories made with family and friends, as they gathered to sing around Jan and her piano.
Her early years of retirement were spent on Cape Cod in Brewster before she moved to Middletown, RI to be closer to family.
While Jan will be missed dearly, what will be missed the most is her ability to always make anyone feel comfortable in any situation through her positive, warm, non-judgmental approach to life, coupled with her sense of humor, genuine warmth, and her gift of offering reassurance in any situation.
Janet is survived by her husband of 59 years, Kenneth R. Toole, her children, Linda Erickson of Newport, RI, Jeffrey Toole (his wife, Vicki) of Naples, ME and Jennifer Firlings (her husband, Carl) of Middletown, RI, her sister, Lois Dall (her husband, Andrew) of Venice, FL, her nephew, Darren Johnson of West Hills, CA and her grandchildren, Nathaniel Cornman, Samantha Cornman, Olivia Toole, Brooke Toole, Alexandra Firlings, Carl Firlings III and Kenneth Firlings. And last but not least her beloved dog, Taz, who was always by her side.
Services for Janet will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Three Angels Fund, PO Box 4003, Middletown, RI 02842, or Robert F. Potter League for Animals, 87 Oliphant Lane, Middletown, RI 02842.