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January 25, 2010

Janice Huntley: She knew her way around a tool box

By Steve Landwehr

Everyone's life has a story. In "Lives" we tell some of the stories of North Shore people who have died recently. "Lives" runs Mondays in The Salem News.

HAMILTON — If you wanted to buy a gift for Janice Huntley, chocolates and flowers were OK, and she'd thank you for them.

But if you really wanted this tool-totin' gal to go gaga, you'd put a bow on a chop saw, a 3âÑ8-inch drill or an orbital sander. Just make sure it's a DeWalt.

"She kept wanting bigger and bigger power tools," her life partner, Larry Chase, said. "And she always named them — John DeWalt, Eddie DeWalt."

Huntley died Tuesday, Jan. 19, of complications from cancer. She was 54.

For cremation and interment, her body was taken to New York's Long Island, where she was born July 7, 1955, in Mineola, later graduated from Smithtown High School, and spent many happy years.

Though her father was a plumber, there was no hint as a child that Jan, or just "J" would develop a love of construction, earth moving and even mechanics.

"She was anything but a tomboy," her older brother, Richard Huntley, said.

She was working for her brother a dozen years ago as director of operations for special events, trying to drum up clients on the North Shore.

She stopped at Harrigan's Liquor Store on Bay Road in Hamilton to get directions. Chase owned the place and managed to direct her to her destination, and she later returned to the store for a bottle of wine.

The two divorcees have been together since, and Chase said Huntley in many ways became his crutch.

The liquor store burned to the ground several years ago, and Huntley oversaw construction of the house Chase built along with a new store.

It was a difficult time for Chase, but Huntley kept him going,

"She was always positive," Chase said, "and I'm understating it."

It's that spirit of optimism he said he'll miss most.

Chase isn't handy himself, and said Huntley ended up doing "everything I didn't want to do."

"Many, many things defaulted to her," he said. "It was that or the yellow pages."

Chase also owns another liquor store of the same name in Manchester-by-the-Sea, as well as the Cork 'n Cask in Beverly Farms.

Her lifelong love of the water made the Beverly Farms store a perfect fit for Huntley to manage. As long as she was able after she was first diagnosed, she kept working there.

Her illness denied her the opportunity to fully enjoy her fascination with the oceans and birds.

Six weeks before her cancer was first found in November of 2008, Huntley bought a cottage on Westport Island in Maine, a town near Wiscasset made up of nearly as much water as land. Although the ride was taxing as she grew more ill, Chase said she made it up there one last time three weeks ago.

When she wasn't wielding a nail gun or a Sawzall, Huntley enjoyed spending time in her garden alongside her beloved German shepherds, Bear and Schatzie.

Although her obituary said she was more proud of her tool belt than her cheesecake, Chase said she didn't really make cheesecake very often.

"When she did, it was always New York style," he said.

She was often found wearing jeans, a vest and a cowboy hat, but Chase said she did enjoy getting all gussied up once in a while for a night on the town.

"She had a keen eye for things that looked good on her," Chase said.

Her health problems began when a spot was found on a lung. When CAT scans were done to investigate further, spots were also seen on her pancreas.

Four days before she was scheduled for surgery for that, more spots were found on her liver, and she went straight to radiation.

While many cancer patients lose their hair during treatment, Chase said Huntley's grew in almost as fast as it fell out.

"At least not to my ear did she ever say 'Why me?' or even cry," Chase said.

Richard Huntley said he was always impressed with his sister's ability to bring people with widely differing values together.

"Janice made friends instantly," he said.

Chase traveled to Long Island for Huntley's services but was planning on returning home this weekend. When he gets there, he'll open the door on a place that Huntley made so much her own.

"It will be difficult at best," he said. "Her fingerprint is everywhere."

Staff writer Steve Landwehr can be reached at 978-338-2660, or by e-mail at slandwehr@salemnews.com.

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