Janet P. Hanscom

Janet Phyllis (McElroy) Hanscom, or "GrammJan" as she was affectionately known to all her grandkids, passed away on March 27, 2025 at the age of 87.

Born in Needham, MA, Janet would call Marshfield home for almost 60 years. She has now joined her husband and soulmate, Warren and her parents, Phyllis and Thomas McElroy.

Family was everything to Janet. She was the amazing mom of Laurel Hanscom (Angela Human), Lisa Crane (David), and Lynda Sullivan (Peter). She was also the super-proud grandmother of Jared, Greg, Jeff, Mark, Lindsay, and Jessica. She will be missed by her siblings, Val Blinn (Joe) and Tom McElroy (Joan), numerous cousins and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Janet was a talented homemaker. She loved getting crafty, working on puzzles, and playing games. She consistently beat us all at Mexican Train and Wordle. And boy, could she cook! Sharing food with her family was one of her favorite things. We will never forget her cinnamon rolls. Everyone begged her to make them and she was always more than happy to. They were a must at every family gathering.

Janet had a knack for making everything she touched more beautiful. Flowers, cake decorating, candies, homemade cards and wrapping gifts. Her presents always had the most beautiful ribbons and bows … you always knew which present was from Mom/GrammJan.

She adored flowers, with yellow roses being her favorite. Every season, her flowers were the envy of everyone. She loved them so much that she would often winter over her favorite ones inside. She was never shy at sharing her flowers … “dig some up, I have plenty!”. Janet was also the queen of optimism. Even if the weather looked gloomy, she’d say, "I can see the blue, it'll clear up soon."

Her love story with Warren was something special. They met when they were just teenagers, and their first date on a ferris wheel became a favorite story. Warren always joked that they'd been "going round and round together ever since” – true soulmates! They were married for 57+ wonderful years.

Janet was a pro at throwing themed and holiday parties. She and Warren had so much fun hosting their friends and telling stories about those get-togethers in their later years. Janet organized and hosted all the large family events and holiday gatherings. Christmas was always the biggest bash, with presents taking over the living room floor and so much joy in the air.

She and Warren loved to travel including adventures to the Super Bowl, National Parks, Hawaii, and a family European trip. They went on many vacations with their close friends the Ragusas and Hartwells. Later in life she was able to see Paris, the Grand Canyon, and spent her 81st birthday in Italy with family and her Italian daughter, Marina.

We'll always remember Janet for her huge heart, her devotion to her family, her bright outlook on life, and her love of a good lobster dinner (with fresh steamers and her famous twice baked potatoes).

The family will hold a Celebration of Life for Janet at a later date. If you'd like to honor Janet’s memory, the family suggests donating to the Pat Roche Hospice Home in lieu of flowers. https://www.nvna.org/pat-roche-hospice-home