Janet Marie O''Connell

Janet O''Connell Obituary

Janet Marie Oâ€™CONNELL August 21, 1958 ~ January 3, 2008 Janet Marie Oâ€™Connell passed away to be with Jesus following a tragic accident and a long unsuccessful recovery. Janet was born in Seattle, grew up in Bellevue, graduated from Interlake High School and later moved to Auburn. She touched and enriched everyoneâ€™s life and heart with her kindness, generosity and goodness. She dearly loved her parents, sisters, brothers, their spouses, ten nieces and nephews, her devoted best friend of many years, Edward Knight, and her kitty, Meg. Janet will always be remembered by all those whose lives she touched and for her generosity, love, faith, courage, and spirit. Even though she was in much pain herself, she was always praying for others. She left these qualities as an example with all of us as we travel lifeâ€™s path. Janet, we will miss you very much and we will love you forever. The family wishes to thank Catholic Community Services for their caring support and commitment. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Janetâ€™s name to Catholic Community Services Continuing Long Term Care, at 100 -23rd South, Seattle, Washington - 98144. A Celebration of Janetâ€™s Life will be held on January 12, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 505 17th Street, Auburn, Washington.

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Published by The Seattle Times from Jan. 10 to Jan. 11, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Janet O''Connell

7 Entries

Sherry Yas

January 4, 2025

The loss is forever, but the remembering is wonderful and it helps with the loss.

Bill and Swati Kearney

January 14, 2008

Our deepest sympathy to the O'Connell family, extended family, and friends of Janet. We know that Janet's qualities will be remembered forever to those she touched.

Nick O'Connell

January 14, 2008

Eulogy for Janet Marie O’ Connell – A Celebration of her life
By Nicholas O’Connell (her older brother)

Janet Marie O’ Connell was born on August 21, 1958, at Cabrini Hospital in Seattle. She was a big, beautiful baby with black hair and lovely blue eyes and came home with a green ribbon in her hair. As a baby, she learned to sing before learned to talk. She especially liked the song, “You are my Sunshine.” Mom and Dad called her their sunshine girl.
As she grew older, she loved being the center of attention, which was not especially easy as there were eventually five of us kids, all part of a big, noisy, loving, chaotic household.
When we took our annual family vacation to Lake Chelan, Dad and some of the rest of us would dive down into the water at the beach, looking for coins that had fallen from swimmers pockets. Janet always wanted the first quarter. She’d take it to Judy Jean’s bakery to buy a jelly doughnut. We spent the rest of the money on ice cream at the Alpen Horn restaurant.
She loved sweets, especially peaches. After eating them, she used to say, “Fresh, juicy, delicious peaches.” I have never heard a better description of them.
She loved to wash things and relished the sound of the washing machine, the humming of the dryer. I remember once she washed ONE pair of shoelaces because they looked dirty.
Janet loved the songs from the musical Mary Poppins. She sang the song, “A Spoonful of Sugar helps the Medicine Go Down”, Over and over and over again.
On her first communion, she wore an immaculate white dress, stockings and shoes and thought she looked like a bride. She attended Sacred Heart Grade School in Bellevue, like the rest of us kids. She then went on to Interlake High School. After graduating, she moved to Chartley House, in Auburn. There she met, Ed Knight, the love of her life.
When they moved to an apartment on main street, she got to know many of the residents of town. When an earthquake damaged the building, the city wanted to tear it down. Janet called up the TV station to complain. They interviewed her on television. The apartment complex was saved.
She had a very good heart. She loved her kitty, Meg, and all of her nieces and nephews. Being an auntie was a big thing to her. She never complained that she didn’t have children of her own but simply loved all of ours.
Anne remembers that on your birthday, you could count on Janet to find the mushiest card in the rack and send it on to you. Family was everything to her. She loved a good party, especially a family party when she could see her parents, brothers, sisters, and nieces and nephews. It was a great source of happiness for her to get one of her nieces or nephews on the phone, and talk on and on to them until they needed to hang up.
She had a knack for calling in the midst of chaos, and always was cheerful on her end. "Hi Anne, what are you doing?" Meanwhile, the household around me was erupting in pandemonium. She didn't mean to, she just loved to talk to us and hear our voices. I already miss her phone calls.
Richard remembers that Janet had the ability to pick out just the right gifts for her niece Erin. The gifts that Janet picked -- stickers, $2 bills, stuffed animals, gift certificates to Baskin and Bobbins - were always the ones that Erin liked best. Nothing thrilled Erin more than getting a package from Aunt Janet.
Cathy remembers that she was always compassionate and interested in Joey, and sent him cards and letters. She worried about him, asked about him, wondered if he was okay, and what he was doing.
We were lucky enough to visit her on Christmas eve, just over a week before she died. She told the kids that she was sorry she didn’t get around to buying them a gift. She told them she’d been sick, but when she got better she’d give them a gift.
Janet will always be remembered for her generosity, love, faith, courage, and spirit. Even though she was in pain herself, she always prayed for others. She left these qualities as an example for all of us.
Shortly after she died on Wednesday, January3, 2008 a rose bloomed outside the window of her apartment. Mom says, “It was a gorgeous, old-fashioned pink rose, like a David Austen, in full bloom as if it were June.” The branches were bare, but the rose still bloomed. It’s a fitting symbol of her spirit, gone to a better, brighter place.

brittany sear

January 13, 2008

sorry to hear of janets passing she will be missed

Sherry Yas (Kearney)

January 11, 2008

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this sad time. We know how much the strength of your wonderful family will comfort you and help you get through this painful loss. We are with you in spirit. Love, Sherry, Rae, Ayn and Eddie (Kearneys)

Kathy & Frank Prasse

January 11, 2008

So sorry to hear of your loss. Janet is in heaven and at peace now.
May God bless you all at this time of sorrow.

Bob and Cathie Kearney

January 11, 2008

To all of you from our hearts, we wish you peace and God's blessings. Although we didn't know Janet well, we know she has a wonderful loving family who will miss her very much. Our hearts and prayers are with you.

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