Janet Rita Qualters

Janet Rita Qualters passed away on September 22, 2020 in Annandale, VA at the age of 79. Janet is survived by her sons & daughters-in-law; Tom & Carrie, Jim & Julia, John & Jill, and Rich & Sarah, her eight grandchildren; Cash, Kate, Connor, Brady, Aiden, Emily, Maddie, and Sammy, and her siblings; Barbara Latini, Daniel Kearns, Eileen Warnick, Martin Kearns, and Rita Smolik. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 44 years, Dick, who passed in 2018. Janet (Kearns) Qualters was born on July 23, 1941 in East Cleveland, Ohio to Martin & Rita Kearns and grew up in Euclid, Ohio as the oldest of the six children. Janet attended Villa Angela High School and graduated from Ursuline College in 1963. Janet served as high school math teacher in Cleveland and as a missionary for five years supporting the Diocese of Cleveland’s mission in El Salvador, a special place where she met Dick. Dick and Janet married in 1974 and relocated to Virginia where they welcomed four sons, and became active members of St. James Catholic Church in Falls Church. Janet worked for the United States Postal Service for 35 years as an executive in Human Resources before retirement in 2008. Janet had a deep passion for serving others, her community, and the Catholic Church. For nearly 30 years, she led the St. James Social Outreach Committee, launched a food distribution program to feed underserved communities, and supported the establishment of the Falls Church Winter Homeless Shelter. Janet’s selfless commitment to others is a shining example of the impact that one individual can make on the local community. Visitation for Janet will be held Thursday, October 1, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Murphy Funeral Homes in Falls Church. A Mass of Christian Burial will occur Friday, October 2, 2020 at 1:00 PM at St. James Catholic Church with a graveside to follow at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9900 Braddock Road, Fairfax VA 22032. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Janet’s life. The services will also be livestreamed online on the Murphy Funeral Homes at facebook.com/murphyfallschurch and at the below link where memories and photos can be shared. In lieu of flowers, the family would ask for donations to be sent to Catholic Charities, an organization close to Janet’s heart.