Janet Walsh Jones

October 29, 1956 – December 12, 2025

Janet Walsh Jones, beloved wife, mother, daughter and dear friend to many passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving husband and children on December 12, 2025, following a valiant one-year battle with cancer. Janet lived a life filled with joy and devotion to love in all things.

Janet was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the youngest child of Michael Kevin Walsh and Marjorie Crane Walsh. She recalls a childhood filled with happiness and laughter and where she acquired her lifelong love of the beach from regular trips her family made to the Cape Cod seashore. Inspired by the example of her parents, Janet always said what mattered most was to be in love. To be in Janet’s presence meant you were always seen and loved.

Janet lost her father at age 13 and learned many things from that time, especially how precious life is and how important it is to live every moment to the fullest. She also watched her mother conquer her grief and find lasting romantic love with Peter Sutcliffe in a marriage lasting over 50 years.

Janet wanted to be of service in this world. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a BS in Physical Therapy and, as she would say, a minor in having fun. She moved to Seattle where she started work in rehab therapy at Providence Hospital. Shortly after that she joined the PT department at Seattle Children’s Hospital where she quickly rose to become the department director. It was there she met her future husband, Tom Jones, who was completing his pediatric residency training. After a whirlwind courtship they announced their engagement within a few months and married in June 1981. They lived for several years in Denver while Tom completed his cardiology fellowship and where she was the Director of Physical Therapy at the National Jewish Hospital and Asthma Center conducting research in pediatric pulmonary rehabilitation.

After returning to Seattle, she continued her career at Virgina Mason Medical Center then back to Children’s Hospital where she continued her research work in pediatric pulmonary rehab. During that time, she earned a master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Washington.

Janet would tell you that her true mission in life was to become a mother and raise a family. Janet and Tom were blessed with three children, Jennifer, Kelly and Michael. All have grown to be fine young individuals who are happily married with loving and supportive marriages that made her proud of the legacy of her own parents and the enduring example of abiding romantic love she strived to fulfill in her own life.

Janet brought that “love in action” to everything she did and to everyone she met. She was a tireless community activist for social justice and participant in her church community. She had a wide circle of friends from all walks of life for whom she was always fully present and ready to meet everyone right where they were in their own life.

Janet also enjoyed an active outdoor life constantly reveling in the beauty of nature and how much it offered us a glimpse of “heaven on earth”. But it was in the personal connections between each of us that Janet found the most joy. She would say it is those “heart to heart” moments that matter the most. To be in her presence meant you would be showered with kindness and warmth, and you would feel her bearing witness to your humanity and dignity. Janet passed into the loving arms of God knowing she had a life well-lived and well loved by her husband, family and her many, many friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina Washington on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 2 PM.

The family requests memorial donations in Janet’s honor to be made to Fred Hutch Cancer Center.