Cover photo for Janet Marie McNeil's Obituary
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1936 Janet 2022

Janet Marie McNeil

July 3, 1936 — February 17, 2022

Janet Marie McNeil, 85, went peacefully home to the Lord on February 17, 2022. She was the second of two children (her older brother was John) born to John (Jack) and Jane (née Walsh) McNeil on July 3, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York. An outgoing child, Janet (who preferred to go by the name Jan) loved riding horses, high jinks with her cousins, and socializing with her friends. In high school at St. Louis Academy (Staten Island, New York), Jan was class president and captain of the basketball team. She graduated in 1954. Right out of high school, Jan snagged a dream gig working as a receptionist for The Today Show. She married Angelo Stanco on October 20, 1956. Their union produced six wonderful children.

Wanting to expand her horizons, Jan attended Glen Cove School of Nursing and graduated in 1972. She worked at Glen Cove Community Hospital before moving on to private nursing. In 1978, Jan moved from New York State to Albuquerque, New Mexico. She fell in love with the high desert, where she lived out her remaining years. Jan had a varied work history, which ranged from the nursing and the medical field to being a director of sales and marketing in the hospitality industry. Her career allowed her travel across the US and abroad.

In her later years, Jan, feeling a need to give back, became a foster parent to her beloved daughters April Begaye and Shannon Fix, who grew up to be amazing mothers in their own right, having been shown a role model for motherhood.

Her favorite things were her family, travel, holidays, cooking fabulous meals, entertaining friends, gardening, and her pets. She loved animals. As St. Francis of Assisi said, “God requires that we assist the animals when they need our help.” Jan was a lifelong Catholic and a member of San Ysidro Catholic Church in Corrales. Her sensibilities were progressive, and she loved political discourse (which some saw as arguing). She was proud to be part of the Irish clans of McNeil and Walsh and loved the Irish spirit and sense of humor.

Jan was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Jane, as well as her brother, John. She is survived by her sons, Ret. Sgt. 1st Class James M. Stanco (whose wife is Cathy) and Chris Stanco; daughters Jane Walker, Tammy McNeil, Meg McMurray, and Kathleen McNeil; grandchildren Christina, Sarah, Collin, Noah, Sage, Sophia, Soleil, and Grace. Jan was very close to her niece and nephews: Pam, Joe, and Pat McNeil. She is also survived by her best friend of over fifty years, Paula Phagan. They shared many great adventures together.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Albuquerque Animal Humane Society


A private memorial service will be held in early Summer 2022.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Janet Marie McNeil, please visit our flower store.

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