Support for Janet (Richter) Maitland’s Family

As we celebrate Janet’s beautiful life, we are also raising funds for our family to cover the cost of medical bills, lost wages, and the like. Anyone who knows her, knows was an Angel on earth and she is now and Angel in heaven, watching over us and making sure we are okay. Any contributions made will help make things immensely easier on us as we navigate this difficult time. Below is her obituary for those that won’t see it locally. Thank you so much for all of your continued prayers and thoughts, they’ve not gone unnoticed.

Janet (Richter) Maitland lived a charmed life, so very rich in love, laughter and family that financial wealth was always secondary. Born to a mother suffering mental challenges, she was handed to her maternal grandmother for safe-keeping at five days old. Janet never left the care or adoration of "Gramma" Peg Richter for the rest of Gramma's life. Janet was joined by her Irish-twin older sister Sandy a year later and, together, they were adopted and raised by their Gramma and "Grampa" Walter Richter in a home built by love.

Later, as she cared for Gramma until her passing, Janet was free to seek out her own life's passion for art and creation. After she had created her own beautiful family, she decided to focus her energy on her education. She enrolled as a student at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, earning a Bachelor's degree with a triple concentration of Fine Art, Art and Craft, and Graphic Design. During her early career, she taught art to students at Brockton's Fuller Art Museum and at the YMCA Youth Detention Program, bringing beauty to the disadvantaged. But her highest calling began to shine when she met John "Jay" Maitland Jr, and married in August, 1990. There was never any question that they would ever leave one another's side. Janet became one half of a binary star system and entered a universe of sublime acceptance for whatever life would bring them so long as their orbit continued together. In Brockton, they worked as a team on political committees and supported many programs for the public good. Finishing each other's sentences was only one of the aggravatingly sweet habits everyone put up with in their company. Janet was triply-blessed with three beautiful babies in their first four years and here is where her heart's passion really began to thrive. She was always meant for motherhood. She had learned from the best. Once Joanna, Jay Jay and Emily were safely established in their own orbits, their dad charted their move to a new life in Asheville, NC. Everyone knew that Janet would follow him anywhere.

In Asheville, she found her final passion, building a traveling and online craft business that let her display her true talent for making simple items, like shopping bags, joyful. With Jay at her side, she made a space in their new home to show off her talents and took her show on the road to craft fairs throughout the state.

Janet always demonstrated the grace of her grandmother in all things, including her continued passion for animals, for public affairs, community involvement, and youth development. Her church life and family at The Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville were so very important to her. She was only 61 when we lost her on New Year's day, taken by Covid from a charmed life that should have been much longer. It would be important to her that her community and country take public health and safety seriously, so together we can eradicate this ugly disease. She will be remembered for her legacy of great passions and a life rich in love and joy. A devoted mother to Joanna Maitland of Massachusetts, John Matiland III and Emily Maitland, both of Asheville, NC, a doting, loving grandmother of Laura Maitland of Asheville; an affectionate sister-in-law to Janette Maitland of Nevada. A generous sister, sharing her passions and family with Sandra Richter of Kingston, Massachusetts. And she remains one half of the shining life for her loving husband, John Maitland II of Asheville.