Janet Van Hise Davidson Caulkins died on March 15, 2020, in her sleep, (peacefully, holding her daughters hand) at her home in Madison, CT at the age of 93. She died of old age. She was born in Weston, Mass., on June 13, 1926, to her parents Alice Van Hise Davidson and Charles Mowbray Davidson.
Her maternal grandfather was Charles Richard Van Hise, a ground breaking geologist and conservationist, a leader in the Progressive Movement, who served as President of the University of Wisconsin from 1903 to 1918. He was the author of several books on the critical need for the protection of the environment, including “Conservation of Our Natural Resources in the United States” and “Concentration and Control: a Solution of the Trust Problem in the United States”. He was the subject of a biography by Maurice Vance, entitled “Charles Richard Van Hise, Scientist Progressive.”
Janet lived most of her life in Greenwich Village, NYC, Bridgehampton NY, Old Greenwich, CT, and Madison, CT. She attended The Little Red School House Elementary School in NYC, the Friends Seminary, and Smith College, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in 1949.
Janet met David Smallwood Caulkins in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was taking her Junior year abroad with Smith College, and he was doing military service for the Army, during the occupation of Germany. They married after he was graduated from Yale University in 1950. They were married for 46 years until his death from cancer in 1996 at the age of 69.
In her 40s, Janet was a children’s book editor for Grosset and Dunlap and Franklin Watts in NYC. At one publisher’s request she authored 3 books for middle and high school students: “The Picture Life of Mikhail Gorbachev,” “Joseph Stalin,” and “Pets of the Presidents.” She wrote and published magazine and newspaper articles, including one in the New York Times entitled “The Springtime Rites of Passage for Boaters”, and for McCalls Magazine entitled “A Thanksgiving in France.”
She was also an artist, and member of the Madison Art Society. Her pen and ink drawings received much attention and were frequently accepted into their art exhibits and shows.
She was an avid gardener, a devoted Bridge player, and an accomplished cook. She loved to sail on friends’ and neighbors’ boats in earlier days, and was committed to learning every nautical term, and how to tie every nautical knot. She loved to travel and her adventures with David included 4 trips to Africa, travels to Equador, Venezuela, Argentina, Turkey, Switzerland, Vienna, France, England, Italy, Greece, the British Virgin Islands, and a white water rafting excursion down the Colorado River.
She leaves behind two children, James R. Caulkins of Maisons-Laffitte, France, and Donna Caulkins Parsons of Madison, CT, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Following her husband’s example, Janet donated her body to Yale Medical School. At her request, no memorial service is being held.
In lieu of flowers or donations, written reminiscences recalling amusing anecdotes and memories of their mother would be very much appreciated by her children. Send correspondence to Donna Parsons, 15 Madison Avenue, madison CT 06443 or to: donnaparsons500@aol.com
