Janet Elizabeth Brazee Finch

FREEDOM — Janet Elizabeth Brazee Finch, of Galen Hill, Freedom, passed away Saturday (Dec. 20, 2025) at the age of 92.

Janet was born Dec. 7, 1933, in Franklinville, a daughter of the late Paul and Phoebe Hanson Brazee.

After graduating from Ten Broeck Academy in 1952, Jan went on to start working in the little town of Franklinville, where she held a position at the movie theatre prior to marrying the late Jack C. Finch on Feb. 27, 1953.

During Jan’s working years she also worked at KR Wilson, Nuclear Fuel, Citizens Central Bank and Sears in Arcade. Her last position prior to her retirement was at Pioneer Central School, working as an aide in the library.

Jan spent many years of her life working alongside Jack on the family farm in Freedom. She fed calves, washed milkers and even did some of the dirty work in the hayloft during harvest. If you couldn’t find Jan on the farm she was probably out and about helping to get various family members to doctors’ appointments.

With her retirement and her son, Tom, having taken over the family farm, Jan began slowing down and doing some of the things she truly enjoyed. You could often find her in her cozy little farmhouse serving chocolate chip cookies, homemade bread, sweet rolls, chocolate cake and white sugar cookies, all of which were freshly made weekly, if not more often.

If Jan was not in the kitchen cooking or baking, you could find her outside tending to her flower gardens or rocking on the porch with a book in hand during the summer months. When the weather turned you could find her sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper or in the living room working on a puzzle or reading a romance novel from her rocking chair that was stationed next to the picture window overlooking the farm and cows in the pasture.

She loved watching old westerns staring John Wayne and James Arness, Gunsmoke, M.A.S.H and cooking shows. If she wasn’t doing any of those things, she was most likely on the phone visiting with one of her many friends or family members. She enjoyed going on lunch dates with her social circle of lady friends, gatherings she only stopped attending a few months prior to her passing.

If you knew Jan, you knew that no one was a stranger in her home. Friends became family, and every farm hand passing through was made to feel like family as well. She often did this by making sure everyone was fed, sharing her table with anyone who stopped by. She made countless breakfasts, lunches and dinners for her husband, children, grandchildren and farm workers, meals she loved making.

She was a thoughtful woman who made sure the ones she loved received a birthday or anniversary card in the mail every year, accompanied by a phone call to sing you happy birthday.

Janet loved Christmas, because with it came the opportunity to give to others and spend time with family. It meant Christmas shopping that came with a lunch out, decorating the house, more cooking and baking, and having her family fill her home on Christmas day. Jan had the most beautiful Christmas village that was set up every year with such attention to detail. The village remains a magical memory that her children and grandchildren will never forget.

Janet is survived by her children, Thomas (Lorraine) Finch of Farmersville Station, Jacqulyn (James) McGinnis of Portville, Eric (Diane) Finch of Allegany and Douglas Finch of Freedom; her grandchildren, Andrew McGinnis, Andrea (Jay) Ronan, Sean Finch, Lindsey (Jarrett) Vosburg, Jared (Kaela) Finch and Hayley (Dalton Mills) Finch; and her great-grandchildren, Harrison, Everett, Alice, Callum, Rose, Landon and Finley. Janet is also survived by several nieces, nephews and close family friends, Bill and Joyce Raimondi and Ann Owens.

Janet is preceded in death by her husband, Jack; her parents; her daughter, Paulette Finch; brothers, Curtis Gifford and Hugh Brazee; and her sisters, Eleanor Law, Daphine Casey and Emma Ann Mosch.

The Finch family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of those who assisted our family by taking time out of your busy schedule to take Jan grocery shopping, to doctors’ appointments and by sending dinner and treats over the last few months. We deeply appreciate each of you. It is our hope that you each remember Janet for her kind, compassionate and caring personality but also for the way she overcame adversity, her strength and her ability to keep moving forward even in the toughest of times. All while doing it with a smile on her face.

There will be no prior services. Family and friends are invited to join the family for a Celebration of Life that will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at The Crossover, 224 Main St., Arcade, across from the Arcade First Baptist Church, with a luncheon to follow.