Janet Maureen Westervelt

Janet Westervelt, 85, passed away peacefully with family by her side on March 18, 2026 in North Carolina.

Janet Maureen McGonagle was born on June 8, 1940, in Mt. Vernon, NY, the eldest daughter of Mary Pizzarello and Seamus McGonagle. She was later joined by her brother, Joseph, in 1943, and her sister, Eileen, in 1946.

She graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School and went on to take classes at Berkeley Secretarial School.

Janet’s life would be changed forever the night she agreed to go on a blind date with a quiet, “Richie Cunningham-type” recently released from active Navy duty. Her date, of course, was James (Jim) Westervelt. They fell in love, and Jim proposed on Valentine’s Day in 1961. They were married a year later, on April 28, 1962. After honeymooning at Niagara Falls, they settled in a small apartment in Yonkers, where their son James Jr. was born. They later moved into the home Janet grew up in, in Mt. Vernon, where they welcomed two more sons, Brian and Michael (Mic).

Janet’s home was a place where everyone was welcome. As her sons often shared, there was rarely a night without at least one extra guest at the table—usually a friend of one of the boys. She would often say, “These boys are eating me out of house and home!” It was also where Janet learned to eat quickly—if she didn’t, there might not be anything left.

As the boys grew, so did the house. Jim and Janet built a home in Wappinger’s Falls and later moved to White Plains. Janet was a proud mother and could always be found on the sidelines of her boys’ football games. When pressed to name her favorite, she would always say, “They are all my favorites.”

As her sons left for college, Janet began a new chapter, starting a real estate firm with two other women. One of her most memorable “Janet-isms” came from her time in real estate: “If you work, you get paid; if you don’t work, you don’t get paid… unless it’s in real estate.” Her grandchildren still quote this often. She continued working part-time in real estate until her retirement in 2008.

After retiring, Jim and Janet purchased a home in Estero, Florida, where they spent their winters before eventually relocating there full-time. Janet enjoyed life in their community, especially her book club and playing Mahjong with friends. In 2014, they moved to Cornelius, North Carolina, to be closer to their youngest son, Mic, and his family, where they spent the remainder of their lives.

Faith was very important to Janet. A devout Catholic, she never missed Mass and served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Light in Florida.

Though she had many great loves—especially her family and her faith—her greatest love was her husband of 62 years. Jim and Janet were inseparable; their names were always spoken together as one. They traveled the world and built a beautiful life together. Even after Jim’s passing in 2022, Janet cherished looking through old photos and sharing stories about him.

Janet is survived by her three sons, James Jr. (Nicole), Brian (Theresa), and Michael (Josephine); her grandchildren Kristen (Alex) Brown, Brian Jr., Andrew (Quinn), Lauren (Ryan) Thomas, Michael Jr., Isabella, and Reagan; her great-grandchild, Leo Thomas; and her sister, Eileen (Frank) Lore. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mary and Seamus McGonagle; her husband Jim; her brother, Joseph; and her grandson, Eric.

Janet loved the color purple, she loved butterflies, and she will be deeply missed.

A funeral mass will be held on April 7, 2026, at 11am at Saint Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville, North Carolina. Procession to follow to Northlake Memorial Gardens where she will be laid to rest next to her dear husband Jim. Reception will be held at 2pm at Raymer-Kepner in Huntersville, North Carolina.