Janet Margaret "Eiynck" MacLean

Janet Margaret MacLean (née Eiynck) was born 10-21-39 in St. Cloud, MN and spent much of her early life in Osakis, Minnesota. Her fondest childhood memories included time at her uncle Elmer's dairy farm in Meir Grove, MN and helping at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Osakis, MN.

Janet graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Education. She met her future husband, James MacLean, while on a trip to visit her ailing mother at the Mayo Clinic and they married in 1962. She began her career as a kindergarten teacher, but left her calling to devote her efforts to raising her children. From then on she was the glue that held the family together over the next two decades and over a dozen moves across the US, from California to Connecticut and back to the Midwest. She landed in Peoria, IL where she worked at Bradley University for 26 years until her retirement in 2008.

Before Parkinson's disease stole Janet from her friends and family, she approached life with an infectious optimism and true gentle nature. Janet was a dearly beloved friend and family member, known for being sweet and soft-spoken. Although, her passion for sports brought out a competitive streak, especially for her treasured Bradley basketball and favorite soccer teams. Janet's adventurous spirit was reflected in her love of travel, moving with her young family all over the US and then later in life traveling internationally visiting thirty countries, often with her favorite travel companion, her aunt Helen Cahill. Even though Janet's heritage was Germanic, she was Irish at heart and never passed-up an opportunity to celebrate St Patrick's day with a pint of her favorite Guinness and a parade. A true farm girl, Janet, had a life-long love for animals, especially her two Siamese cats, Nip and Tuck, along with all her grand-furbabies. Her home was full of positive quotes and sayings cut from newspapers or handwritten on post-it notes, of which her favorite one (from the movie City of Joy) summed-up the way she approached her life: "All that is not given is lost."

More than anything Janet will be remembered for her kind and compassionate heart.

Janet is survived by her loving children: Susan "Sam" MacLean (Tim Somers) of Hartford, WI, Michael MacLean (Moyra Knight) of Bridgewater, NJ, and Margaret Jordan (Rob Jordan) of The Villages, FL. She will also be fondly remembered by her grandchildren: Gabriel Niederlander (Gretchen Klein), Ewan and Annabelle MacLean, and her great-granddaughter Sylvie Niederlander, along with her devoted cousins, Elaine Wenning, Pat Kroeger, Frank Imdieke, Mary Bertram, Margaret Silbernick and Jim Cahill and numerous nieces and nephews. Janet was preceded in death by her father, Bernard Eiynck, her mother, Leonora Eiynck (née Imdieke) and her step-father, Edward Nolan.

The family would like to express special gratitude to the staff at The Waterford at Hartford for the kind and compassionate care they provided for her over the past 5 years and thanks to Brighton Hospice and Community Care for all of their support.

No services are planned at this time.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations be made in Janet's name to either the Parkinson's Foundation or the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.