Her love and affection for family and friends knew no bounds

NORTH READING — Janet L. (Cangiano) O’Leary, 62, of North Reading, formerly of East Boston, passed away peacefully on April 30, 2022, surrounded with love.

She was a graduate of Julie Billiart Central High School and Mount Ida Junior College, and completed her Bachelor of Science degree at Suffolk University.  Although she enjoyed her days working for Eastern Airlines, her true calling was raising her children and treasuring her time with her grandchildren.

Known to her loved ones as “Mimi,” she went to great lengths to make every moment a memory, and every gathering a special occasion. She absolutely loved and adored her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.  Mimi never met a Disney princess she didn’t like, and, for the children, she would always bring them to life.  She knew how to make a house a home, and was an expert in many things, including sewing, crafting—and napping.

To know her was to love her. If anyone came to Janet in a time of need, she went above and beyond—and would give them, quite literally, the shirt off her back and the shoes off her feet, without hesitation, and without expecting anything in return.  When she wasn’t doting on her grandchildren, she was in her element bargain shopping with her lifelong friend Frani, and taking long drives in classic cars with her loving husband Paul.  Her love and affection for family and friends knew no bounds.

Janet is survived by her beloved husband of twenty-eight years, Paul O’Leary of North Reading, and her mother, Marie Dalton of Saugus.  She was a loving mother and parent to Michele Reid and her husband Justin, Paul M. Donatelli, and Nicole Coviello and her husband Jared, all of North Reading, Jennifer Demers and her husband Greg of Middleton, and Paul O’Leary Jr. and his wife Lyndsay of Ladson, S.C.

She is also survived by her siblings, Pat Cangiano and his wife Jean of North Reading, Denise Herland and her husband John of Wakefield, Biaggio Cangiano and his wife Jaime of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Lydia Cangiano of West Palm Beach, Fla., as well as her many nieces and nephews, and her grandchildren, Mia, Gabriella, Bronwynn, Wesley, Lorenzo, Elle, Isabella, and Isla.

Janet is now reunited with her birth parents, the late Basil Cangiano and Mary Scalfani Cangiano.

Janet passed away following a brief and courageous battle with leukemia that extinguished her life but not her light. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her memory to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to support the amazing team of medical professionals searching for a cure. Please visit:  https://www.dana-farber.org/how-you-can-help/ways-to-give/make-a-memorial-or-tribute-gift/

Her funeral will be held from the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Friday, May 6, at 9:15 a.m. followed by a 10:30 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street, North Reading. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, May 5 from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. To leave an online message of condolence please visit www.croswellfuneralhome.com.