Community mourns tragic, sudden death of former Holden officer

• Posted by Holden News Jan 5 - Filed in News - #Holden  #Holden Police Department  #Janet Bourget  - 10,152 views

  
  Janet Bourget served on the Holden Police Department with her brother and father before severe injuries sustained in the line of duty forced her to retire (GoFundMe)

  HOLDEN — Janet L. Bourget, a retired police officer who spent nearly 2 decades serving the Town of Holden and was deeply involved in youth sports and local schools, died unexpectedly following a medical emergency on the day after Christmas. She was 45.

  Janet, a lifelong Holden resident, was born in Worcester and graduated from Wachusett Regional High School in 1999 before earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State College in 2003.

  She began her law enforcement career as an emergency dispatcher for the Town of Princeton and later joined the Holden Police Department, where she served alongside her father and brother. Janet started as a part-time officer in 2004, became a full-time officer in 2008 and medically retired in 2022 due to severe injuries sustained in the line of duty.

  During her career, Janet was widely known for her patrol work and her connections to schools and community groups. She was among the first officers to participate in the department’s Bike Patrol Unit, further strengthening her ties to residents, according to the Holden Police Department.

  The West Boylston Police Department also issued a statement expressing condolences, noting Janet’s 18 years of service in neighboring Holden and offering sympathy to her family, friends and former colleagues.

  After retiring from policing, Janet worked at Dawson Elementary School in Holden, the same school she attended as a child. She also spent many years nannying for local families, a role her family said she took great pride in.

  A gifted athlete, Janet played youth soccer in Holden and with the Juventus Soccer Club, including competing internationally in the Gothia Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden. She was a standout basketball and soccer player at Wachusett Regional High School and later captained the Westfield State women’s soccer team. She went on to coach at several levels, including Holy Name High School, and also served as a soccer referee.

  Family members said she was an avid Boston Bruins fan and regularly attended games with her father. Above all, they said, she cherished her role as “Momtie” to her niece and nephew.

  Janet is survived by her twin sister, Jennifer L. Bourget and her husband, Joseph Yaskis of West Boylston; her brother, Jonathan A. Bourget of Holden; her niece and nephew, Julia Gale and Jett Joseph Yaskis; and extended family and friends.

  Calling hours will be held 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 6th at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden. A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 7th at Heritage Bible Chapel, 182 Brook Station Road, Princeton, followed by burial at Worcester County Memorial Park, 217 Richards Ave., Paxton.

  In lieu of flowers, the family has established a fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses and outstanding bills. The GoFundMe can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-janets-family-after-double-loss. As of Monday morning, the community has raised $26,560 of its $30,000 goal.

  The full obituary is available through Miles Funeral Home here: https://www.milesfuneralhome.com/obituaries/janet-bourget.