It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend, Janet Lynne Sampson, age 78, on December 1, 2025. At the time of her death, Janet was in hospice at Edgewood Memory Care in Minot, North Dakota.
Janet was raised in Cresskill, NJ and attended Immaculate Heart Academy in Washington Township. She received her BA degree in English at Caldwell University. Janet taught young special education students for three years. and then joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). As a VISTA volunteer, Janet, along with Marcia Hayes, served as Group Home Managers for severely disabled adults in Conrad, Montana.
Following her commitment to VISTA, Janet enrolled at Minot State University, and received her MS in Severely and Profoundly Disabled. Upon graduation, she returned to NJ and lived in Rutherford. Janet had a long career working with developmentally disabled adults through the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities. One of the highlights of her career at DDD was running a program called Crew Labor, where she secured jobs and supervised clients who cleaned homes and did yard work as a team.
On one of these jobs, when clients were helping with a large move, Jane kept encouraging her crew to focus and reminded them about teamwork and communication, repeatedly throughout the day. At the end of the day, one of the clients said, “Janet, can I ask you a question?” And he then asked, “What is communication??”
Janet was a devout Catholic, a hospice volunteer, and a member of the Lazarus Ministry, assisting at funerals at St. Mary’s Church in Rutherford, NJ. She established a program at the Kipp Senior Center in Rutherford called Bridge Builders, which connected young people with seniors in need of support to maintain their independence.
Janet moved from Rutherford when she bought a home in Nutley, NJ. She attended St. Mary’s parish in Nutley and was a member of the choir. She loved music and was blessed with a rich, clear voice. She enjoyed gardening and often surprised her friends with flower arrangements from her garden. Janet enjoyed traveling and visiting both new places, and favorite locations of hers. One of the special places for Janet, was Ogunquit, ME. She never tired of her visits there and always walked the Marginal Way, and went out in the lobster boat.
Following the death of her sister, Debbie, from breast cancer, Janet became a team leader for Relay for Life, and invited friends and family to join her team, “Hearts and Soles.” Soles for our feet that walked around the track from dusk till dawn.
Many friends will remember how Janet would “adopt” a family (the bigger the better) at Christmas time, and would invite us to join her in purchasing and wrapping gifts at her home. It was a gift not only to the family in need but also to her friends. Janet found joy in giving and it was contagious. Janet lived an extraordinary life of generosity not limited to family and friends but to all who were fortunate to be touched by her kindness and generosity. One of her friends put it this way: “She was the kindest person I ever met.”
Janet leaves behind her loving companion, Marcia Hayes, Minot, who became her devoted caregiver as Alzheimer’s slowly took Janet from us. She is survived by her sister, Kathy (Tom) Fagan, Williamsburg, VA, niece Kim (Eric) Johnson and children Aidan and Riley, Woodbridge, VA, niece Amy Fagan (Johann Charbonneau) and children Jeremy, Mikael, Clara and Rose, Montreal, Quebec, nephews Skott (Heather) Stotland and daughter Beatrix, Philadelphia, PA, and Joseph Stotland, Mount Holly, NJ. She; is also survived by her Aunt Betty Doscher, Shrewsbury, NJ, and her children Tami, Bonnie, Kerrie, and Sheri. Janet will be greatly missed by her lifelong friend, Maureen Saar, Nutley, NJ and many other loving friends who grieve her loss.
Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Pearl Sampson, and her sister, Debbie Stotland.
Janet Sampson will be remembered for her beautiful smile, the twinkle in her eye, her quick wit and her compassionate heart. May we honor her memory by emulating her loving kindness towards others. Janet would love that!
A Celebration Mass of Janet’s life will be December 9th, her birthday, at noon at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Minot ND.
Mass of Christian Burial: 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Minot.
Inurnment: At a later date at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Toms River, NJ.
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