Janet Laird

For decades, Janet Laird shared her morning coffee with Ann Landers, Erma Bombeck, and Heloise. Now, writing as Maggie Montclair—her readers call Maggie the Ann Landers for widows—Janet shares the survival techniques that she and her friends have used to move forward after the loss of their husbands. Janet was born and raised in Oelwein, Iowa and is a graduate of Upper Iowa University. A widow for twenty-two years, she currently lives in Omaha. She travels as often as possible with her Red Hat Chapter, “The Dingbats in Red Hats.” There are as many approaches to widowhood as there are widows. Like daisies, Janet hopes you will pick and choose which gems of advice ring true for you. Janet agrees with this advice from Maggie Montclair, “Don’t be afraid to stretch yourself and get out of your comfort zone. If you haven’t made a few mistakes, you either haven’t traveled very far or you have stayed in the ‘safety zone’ and led an unfulfilling life."