Janet L. Mihalek

Janet L. Mihalek (nee Pipino) passed away from natural causes on March 23, 2022 in Aldie, Virginia. Janet was born February 22, 1928 in Cohoes, N.Y. — minutes before her twin sister Annie — to Josephine (nee Fabbo) and Francesco Pipino. Her parents immigrated from Italy in the early 1900s and the family settled on a farm in Schenectady, N.Y., where Janet grew up with her nine brothers and sisters: Nick, Connie, Silvio, Tony, Alfred, Annie, Henry, Mary and Rosie. She was the remaining survivor among her 10 siblings. Janet and Annie moved to Washington. D.C. in the mid-1940s, where she worked as a secretary for the United States Department of the Navy. She married Robert K. Mihalek in 1957, and gave birth to her first son Robert Kenneth Jr in 1958. The family relocated several times for Robert Sr’s work with United States Patent Office and subsequently, Janet gave birth to Bridget (1959 in Hartford, CT), Joe (1960) and Paula (1961, both in Pittsburgh, PA) and Sheila, (1964, Berea, OH). Robert Sr passed away in 1970, and Janet raised her children in the family home in Arlington, VA, where she lived in until 2020. Janet became a grandmother when Brittany Gordon was born to her daughter Bridget in 1985. Brittany’s siblings Samantha and Shannon were born in 1988 and 1993, respectively. Janet’s daughter Sheila gave birth to Sadie (1991), MJ (1993) and Gigi (1999), while her son Joe and Debbie Lancaster are parents to her seventh grandchild, Brandon (1990). Janet’s granddaughter Samantha gave her two great grandchildren Braxton (2014) and Nolan (2015). Janet would often babysit her grandchildren — especially Sadie and Brandon – often balancing them both in each arm while they drank their bottles. Janet was famous for her made-up songs and nicknames bestowed upon her children and grandchildren, as well as her infectious laugh. She gave them birthday cards including dollar bills to correspond to their ages. Janet had a beloved chihuahua, named Phoebe, who would be on her lap 99% of the time. Throughout her life, she faithfully attended catholic mass and her faith was a central tenet of her life. In 2012, Janet experienced health issues, which she eventually recovered from and was able to live mostly on her own with help from her oldest son, Robert Jr. During the final two years of her life, her daughters Paula and Sheila took turns providing Janet full-time care, and Sheila was holding her hand in hospice during the final moments of her life. Janet was a deeply loving and affectionate soul who will be dearly missed.