Janice Peppler Wiglesworth, whose residential and commercial cleaning business had the White House as a client, died Saturday of cancer at St. Joseph Medical Center. She was 80 and lived in Towson.
She retired from Maryland Carpet Care Corp., the family business, in 1992.
The firm was founded in the 1970s by her late husband, Reginald A. Wiglesworth, a retired labor and corporate lawyer who died in 1991.
"Trust the People Who Clean the White House" is the firm's slogan, said her son Michael B. Wiglesworth of New York. "A two-man crew would go to the White House late at night to clean the draperies and rugs and even cleaned the president's private quarters," he said.
"They could tell how big a White House party or state dinner was by the burgundy wine stains left in the rugs, which were always a challenge to get out."
The family also owns two dry cleaning businesses, Anneslie Tailors in the 6800 block of York Road and Cleaner Cleaners in Towson and Cockeysville.
Mrs. Wiglesworth was reared in Forest Park and was a 1932 graduate of Forest Park High School. She married Mr. Wiglesworth in 1941 and, during World War II, was a telephone operator at Glenn L. Martin Co. in Middle River.
She volunteered for the American Cancer Society and St. Joseph Foundation, which supports St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, and was a member of Stoneleigh Community Association.
A Mass of Christian burial was offered Wednesday. She is survived by two other sons, Patrick M. Wiglesworth and Robert W. Wiglesworth, both of Towson; a sister, Geraldine P. Morris of Towson; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 43025, Baltimore 21236-0025.