Janet Gaynor (Humbert) Robinson

Janet Gaynor (Humbert) Robinson 1929-2025

It is with heavy and yet grateful hearts that we share that Janet “Gay” (Humbert) Robinson, age 96, of Smithfield, Pa, has transitioned from this life to her eternal life. She passed away on Tuesday, October 14th, after a brief illness, with many from her loving and devoted family by her side.

Janet was born on August 6, 1929 to humble beginnings in Haydentown, Pa, the tenth of eleven children.  She was the daughter of Otto and Bertha (Ellsworth) Humbert and the beloved wife of the late Jack Robinson, to whom she was married for 72 years. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend to many.

Janet graduated from Georges High School in 1947 and soon after was married to Jack. As they embarked upon their new life and raising their family together, they faced many challenges. Working hard to make ends meet, they moved to the house next door to where Jack had grown up. Side by side, with their own hands and the help of family, they built on to the original 4-room home, adding bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, porches, and a swimming pool. Janet was as “handy” as they come and was always there with design ideas, a hammer, a paint brush, or whatever tool she needed. She was very proud of being the mason who laid the stone on their house. Even with the blueprint forever changing, their home was always the focal point for both immediate and extended family and was the base for countless family gatherings which occurred there over 75 years.

While she was always involved in the manual work in the house, Janet was also the true heart of the home and probably will be most remembered for her cooking and baking. This woman could whip up the heartiest of meals, all from scratch, and most without a recipe. The smell of potpie, “city chickens,” or beef and noodles, mixed with homemade bread, rolls, and pies was something all could expect when they stopped by, especially if it was a Sunday. Her two most famous staples were her buckwheat cakes and her chocolate chip cookies. The hunters who gathered in her kitchen could fill up on those buckwheat cakes before heading out, and no one could even come close to guessing the number of cookies that she produced in her lifetime. Even if visitors arrived unexpectedly, she would be able to make a few quick cookies from the dough she always had prepared in the freezer. There was always enough, and there was always room for one more at Janet’s kitchen table.

Janet was not “all work and no play” though. She was always willing to jump into a family game of baseball, kickball, ping pong, badminton, or golf. She took “Gotcha Last” to the next level. She loved sled riding, hide and seek, and hunting mushrooms. She walked laps around the pool with her kids and grandkids, sat her lawn chair in the middle of the creek when the kids played there, and in later life became an avid Steelers fan.

With all of that said, it is important to mention that the foundation for all of the above was her faith in God and her love for Jesus, which were simple and pure. She was a longtime member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church, where she served as a Trustee, sang in the choir, and volunteered with Vacation Bible School.

Janet truly was the Rock of the family and she loved with an unmatched intensity. She will be missed and remembered fondly by so many, and the legacy she left with her strength, loyalty, hard work, and devotion will leave ripple effects for years to come.

Janet is survived by her children, Jack Jr. (Sharyn Blaney), Curt (Jane Harbach), Colleen (Dave) Seitz, and Brent (Stacey Medved); eight grandchildren, Tami (Lou) Roth, Erik (Chrissy Robba), Ryan (Angi Rider), Leah (Gene) Alessandrini, Tyler (Haley) Seitz, Sarah (Jack) Gonser, Luke, and Eli; nine great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, her husband, and her ten siblings, she was preceded in death by her son, Randy, in 1974.

A viewing will be held at Dean Whitmarsh Funeral Home on Friday evening, Oct. 17th from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.  A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18th at 5:00 p.m. at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, 30 Church Street, Smithfield, officiated by Janet’s daughter-in-law, Pastor Sharyn Robinson. There will be a gathering following the service at The Haydentown Community Center. Interment will occur on Sunday in the Mount Moriah Baptist Cemetery.

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