Janet Gaylord

Janet Clark Gaylord (May 13, 1921-May 7, 2015) Of San Jose, California (formerly of Newark, DE and Port Washington, NY) Born in New York City, Janet was the daughter of Clarence L. and Etta (Stermer) Clark of Mays Landing, NJ and Great Neck, NY. Janet grew up in and graduated from Great Neck High School. She later received degrees in Biochemistry from Adelphi University and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She was married to the late Donald L. Gaylord of Great Neck, NY and is survived by her children, Donald and Molly Gaylord of Morgan Hill, CA and Barbara Lynn Gaylord and John Hudson of Stoughton, MA; her grandchildren, Michael, Andrew and Patrick Hudson of Stoughton, MA.; Jeremy Gaylord of NYC, Tim Gaylord of Morgan Hill, CA, Amanda Gaylord and her husband, Michael Winter, of Albuquerque, NM and Josh and Lucy Skalnik of Perth, Australia and four great grandchildren. Janet was one of five sisters. She is survived by Barbara Clark BreMiller (Richard BreMiller) of Lewes, DE. She was predeceased by Dorothea Clark May, Richard and Virginia Clark Leies and Elizabeth Clark. She also is survived by Andrew and Kay Gaylord of Hicksville, NY and Lillian Gaylord (Norbert) Gaylord of Florida. She was extremely close to her many nieces and nephews. In 1942, Janet was hired as the first women biochemist at Pfizers, Inc. in NY, where she was part of the scientific group and team assigned with developing penicillin. She worked for 14 years as a research biochemist at Endo Laboratories in Garden City, NY, later relocating to Newark, DE where she was a senior scientist in the Pharmaceutical Division of E. I. Dupont Corporation. She retired from Dupont in 1982. Throughout her life, Janet cultivated great friendships and magnificent gardens wherever she lived. She had an adventurous spirit and travelled extensively throughout the world. At the age of 80 years she realized a dream of sailing through the Panama Canal. She was an active member of the Newark community, the Newark United Methodist Church, serving on the Newark Area Welfare Committee. In her late 70s she continued to deliver Meals-on-Wheels and worked tirelessly for the Newark Food Cupboard. Janet was an avid genealogist tracing the roots of her family in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Private services for family and friends will be held. She will be laid to rest at the Union Cemetery in Mays Landing, New Jersey.