Jan Robert Westervelt

Jan R. Westervelt, died April 16, 2025, at his home. Jan was born in South Orange, NJ, to John Robert and Doris Fischer Westervelt. After a childhood which enabled him to travel the world, including a journey from Hong Kong to Geneva, he enjoyed the chance to study at Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland. He moved to New England to attend Dartmouth College (Class of 1966) after which he moved to Montpelier, Vermont, where he met his future wife, Janet Amidon. Marrying in the Old Round Church in Richmond, Vermont on August 30, 1969, the couple then moved to North Carolina where Jan earned a Masters in Public Health from the University of North Carolina, where he worked with famed civil rights leader Floyd McKissick.

Returning to Vermont from Chapel Hill in 1971, Mr. Westervelt served as one of the leaders of the Davis administration in its efforts to provide health care for the people of the state of Vermont. After his time in the Davis administration, he went on to earn his CPA and eventually open his own accounting firm. In the early 1980s, he was a pioneer in exploring the emerging uses of software in the health care world. Mr. Westervelt would later apply his expertise to both private industry and to the public sector, moving from the granite industry to the Caledonia Central Supervisory Union and on to the Governor’s Office and the Agency of Human Services.

Mr. Westervelt was tireless in his dedication to his community, and was recognized through multiple awards given by his community for his service and contributions. Throughout his life, he gladly shared his time and his expertise with a variety of businesses and organizations, including Jasper Hill Farms, the state Human Services Board and the Vermont Historical Society, where he served as treasurer for many years.  In his retirement, he embraced his lifelong passions of sailing, clock repair and spending time in northern Quebec, happy in the company of the locals, a pile of good books and at least one dog, preferably more.

Having settled in Cabot in 1972, where he and his wife Janet raised their four children, Jan was from the start a dedicated member of the Cabot community. He served two terms on the school board, was treasurer of the Cabot community business development fund, coached elementary school soccer and served as Town Meeting Moderator. He cared deeply about the town and helped with efforts to restore the church and its clock and to revitalize the village. He is survived by his wife, Janet, brother-in-law, Tony Smith of Ponte Vedra, FL, four children, Ted (Aimee Storm) of Washington, DC, Mary (David Adler) of El Cerrito, CA, David (Christine Lee) of Arcadia, CA and Anna (Jared Blum) of Montpelier, VT, and eight grandchildren.

His memorial will be held at 849 Ducharme Road, Cabot, VT on July 13th at 12pm.

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