Obituary of Janet Susan Claffey
Janet Susan Claffey, born May 29, 1945 in Houston Texas to Harry James Claffey Jr. and Helen Irene (Jones) Claffey passed away on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 in Tomball at The Heights of Tomball Nursing Home due to Lewy Body Dementia and other chronic illnesses.
Janet Susan Claffey was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Carolyn Ann (Claffey) Searcy, brother-in-law, Dan Thomas Pillow, and Janet’s ex-husband, Stanley Dalton Wright.
She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Emily Wright-Canausa (husband, Michael Canausa) in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY, step-granddaughters Nicole Canausa and Daniella Canausa, brother-in-law Al Searcy, Cypress, TX, sister, Patricia (Claffey) Pillow, Tomball, TX, aunt, Augusta Marie (Jones) Keith of Columbus Ohio.
Also survived by nieces and nephews, Lance Christian Searcy, wife Elizabeth (Luong), Kristen Michelle Searcy, husband Barry Skipp, Molly Glyncora Searcy, Patrick Thomas Pillow, wife Pamela (Adams) Pillow, Deborah Kay Pillow and her partner Wendy Morrison. She is also survived by seven great nieces and nephews, four great grand nieces and nephews plus cousins in Ohio and other states.
Janet collected teddy bears, postcards, and pretty things like teapots and glassware. She enjoyed postcard club memberships, living in Virginia, history, genealogy research, and traveling. A Houston native, she graduated from Westbury High School and attended the University of Houston. After high school graduation, she especially enjoyed being an elevator operator at Foley’s in downtown Houston. She was known to be able to tell customers where items could be located on every floor and enjoyed those short elevator conversations with the public. While in college, she was a part-time switchboard operator at U of H.
Her employment history includes employment by a NASA contractor for Flight Operations as support staff during the Mercury Program in Houston, employment in Washington DC, and later as an Administrative Secretary at MD Anderson Cancer Center and then UT Medical Branch in Galveston where she retired.
Janet had originally wanted to be a nurse, but life took her in another direction. She could quickly absorb and recall detailed medical information regarding illnesses and treatments. Her interests also included art history. She was observed conducting an impromptu tour of artwork in an art museum in Iowa that was the site of a conference event she was attending as a guest.
She really enjoyed two trips to Europe, residing for a while in Galveston Texas near the seawall and several big trips within the United States with her sister, Patricia.
The family extends a thank you to her friend, Rosie Powell, who was a big help to her in the last two years as her health declined.
Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at Joseph J Earthman Generations, 234 Wescott St., Houston, Texas 77007.
Interment will be at 1:30 pm on Friday, May 28, 2021 at Klein-Magnolia-The Woodlands, 14711 FM1488, Magnolia, Texas, 77354.