Janet A. Hart

Janet A. Hart, 83, of Galion, Ohio, passed from this life at Ohio Health Mansfield Hospital, Mansfield, Ohio, on Friday, December 2, 2022. Janet was born on October 1, 1939, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Gertrude (Mahoney) Coffin and Daniel W. Coffin. She married Robert E. Hart on May 13, 1957, in Somerville, Massachusetts. Janet loved her family and community. In her younger days, she was her kids’ room mother, scout leaders, worked in the PTA, was a school crossing guard, cafeteria worker, and organized the first girls’ softball league in Manteno. Along with her friend, Louise Warner, ran the Manteno Teen Center and United Way Campaigns for many years. After her husband died, she worked at local restaurants, the Manteno Sportsman’s concession stands, and owned an ice cream parlor. Later, she worked at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in food service and as a certified veteran nursery assistant. During all these years, she also owned her own business, The Balloon Connection, and provided balloons for special occasions, as well as dressing up as Aggie the Clown and Bertha the Bag Lady. She is survived by her children, Mike (Phyliss) Hart of Manteno, Karen Conrad of Galion, Ohio, Sharon (John) Fitzgerald of Wheatfield, Indiana; her daughter-in-law, Taresa Hart of Manteno; sisters, Barbara (Wayne) Sjostedt, Gertrude (Ted) Lavin, Judith Davis, and Mary Derochea; brothers, Paul (Jean) Coffin and John Coffin; sisters-in-law, Kathleen Coffin and Jean (John) Hess; her brother-in-law, John Holmes; 12 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and one great, great grandchild. She is preceded in death by her husband; her son, Robert Hart; sisters, Madeline Chase, Rose Coffin, Carolyn Coffin, and Margaret “Peggy” Holmes; brothers, Thomas and Daniel Coffin; and her brothers-in-law, William Chase and Arthur Derochea. Visitation for Janet will be held on Wednesday, December 7, from 4:00PM – 8:00PM at Brown-Jensen Funeral Home in Manteno, Illinois. The funeral service will be held the following day, Thursday, December 8, 2022, at 11:00AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the wishes of the family.