Janet C Murnane

Janet C. Murnane, age 95, of Marco Island, FL. died Monday, October 31st, 2022 at her Plattsburgh, NY home. Born in Ilion, NY on September 28th, 1927, she was the daughter of Gerald and Alma (Sheridan) Cowden.

She is predeceased by her husband of 61 years, James L. Murnane, Jr., her brother Gerald Cowden, Jr., and her sister, Mary Nell. She is survived by her seven children; Darcy Mousseau and her husband, John of Voorheesville, NY, Christopher Murnane and his wife, Molly, Patrick Murnane and his wife, Sheila, Maria Visco and her husband, Stephen, all of Plattsburgh, NY, Janet Murnane, Jr., of Burlington, Vt., Andrea Murnane of Starksboro, Vt., and James Murnane, III and his wife, Susan, of Saranac Lake, NY.

Janet is survived by 12 grandchildren, Carly and Cynthia Mousseau, Kevin, Bridgid, and Haley Murnane, Michael, Christine, Patrick, II, and Kathleen Murnane, Julia Murnane, and James, IV, and Dylan Murnane, and her great-grandchildren Rayne, Violet, William, and Miles. She is also survived by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tom and Kathy Murnane.

After graduation from Herkimer High School, Janet attended SUNY Cortland. She married Jim Murnane on July 7th, 1951 at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Herkimer, N.Y. They moved to Bay City, Michigan where her eldest child, Darcy, was born. They returned to Central New York where her oldest son, Christopher was born, and moved to Plattsburgh in 1956 where her remaining children were born.
In retirement, they moved to Marco Island, where they resided happily until Janet’s passing.

Janet was a skilled homemaker in addition to being a loving mother, and still found time to devote to her faith and to her community. Janet loved to entertain her many friends, and was an avid tennis player and golfer. She had a flair for fashion and often elicited admiring comments of her style from people she encountered. Janet and Jim traveled the world together, visiting all the continents, except Antarctica.

Janet taught religious education classes at St. John’s in Plattsburgh for many years and was a dedicated volunteer for Birthright, supporting pregnant women in Clinton County. She was a Fresh Air Fund Sponsor, and hosted children from Northern Ireland and New York City at her beloved summer home at Trembleau Point on Lake Champlain. She was a volunteer delivery person for Meals on Wheels in Collier County, FL.

Janet was a dedicated supporter of Catholic Education, especially of St. John’s Academy, Seton Catholic Central, and Seton Academy, where her children and grandchildren were educated.

She was a devoted parishioner of San Marco Catholic Church in Marco Island, Fl., and retained her membership and devotion to her home parish of the Holy Cross, and St. John the Baptist Church in Plattsburgh. Janet was a Eucharistic Minister, member of the St. John’s Altar Rosary Society and the Equestrian Order of the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher.

Janet’s daughter and son-in-law, Maria and Steve Visco, were Janet’s caregivers and companions for the last four years of her life. The Murnane Family is deeply grateful for the love and dedication they provided in Janet’s care.

Funeral arrangements are with the Brown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, November 5th at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church in Plattsburgh. Interment will follow at Mount Carmel Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any of the following:
• Interfaith Food Shelf, 127 Beekman Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
• Holy Cross Parish, 7 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
• Hospice of the North Country, 358 Tom Miller Road Plattsburgh, NY 12901