Janet Donnery

Janet Sabina Donnery, beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on June 5, 2026, after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.

Janet was born on January 24, 1940, in New York City and grew up on Sullivan Street in Greenwich Village with her younger sister, Mary Ann, her parents, Vincenza (known as Vi) and Joseph Bonome, and their dog, Penny.

From her earliest years, she attended Saint Anthony's Grammar School on Sullivan Street, then went on to Washington Irving High School. She spent many days at the Children's Aid Society in Greenwich Village, where she enjoyed basketball, ping pong, sewing, and cooking. Life was a celebration on Sullivan Street and throughout Greenwich Village, where most of her family and friends lived.

Janet was an extraordinary dancer, and it was at a dance that she met her soulmate, Bernard Joseph Donnery. On September 14, 1963, Janet and Bernard were married at Saint Anthony's Church in Greenwich Village. They honeymooned in Bermuda, made their home on Bleecker Street, and went on to have two daughters, Jennifer and Jo Ann, of whom they were both immensely proud of.

Janet later began a career at Shell Oil Company in Midtown Manhattan, then pivoted to the City of New York's Mayor's Office of Management and Budget. She was extremely proud of her role as an administrative assistant to the mayor and retired in 2013.

She greatly enjoyed vacationing, beginning with trips to the Poconos, then progressing to the Caribbean, with her favorite destination being Aruba. She loved Aruba dearly and looked forward to spending a month there each year.

Janet was a generous, loving, and devoted grandmother who adored her seven grandchildren. She was known for her famous birthday cards, each one containing single dollar bills, one for every year, taped together, with a personal message written on the first.

She was also an amazing cook, and anyone who joined her for the holidays eagerly anticipated her marina sauce, meatballs, rice balls, fried cauliflower, cream puffs, rainbow cookies, rugelach, and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Janet had a beautiful artistic side as well. Many of her closest family members and friends cherish the handmade silk wedding keepsake boxes she crafted for them.

Janet was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bernard, who passed away in 2016. She is survived by her two daughters, Jennifer Stapleton and her husband Ken, and Jo Ann Hochrine and her husband Donald; her seven grandchildren, Christian, Austin, Paige, Kyle, Sean, Liam, and Courtney; her sister, Mary Ann; her niece, Briana; her great-niece, Quinn; and many in-laws, cousins, and friends who will always carry the memory of her generous and loving spirit.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial Mass celebrating Janet's life on Wednesday, June 10, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Pompeii Church, 25 Carmine Street, New York, NY 10014. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.