Jane McManus Lienau

Jane McManus Lienau passed away comfortably on Monday evening, February 16, 2026. Her daughter was able to spend many hours of her final weeks by her side, and Janey was surrounded at the end by loving staff of the Barron Center and Compassus Hospice Care. She was deeply loved by them all.

Janey was born in Manhattan on July 23, 1936, and spent much of her childhood with her parents, Donald Foxx McManus and Jane Tobin McManus, and her beloved sister, Gael Anne McManus Steffens, in Port Washington on Long Island. Janey and Gael remained close throughout their lives. She also had many aunts and uncles, Maureen, Mary, Helen, and Bob, as well as close cousins, especially Lynnie McManus Mazzarella and Sister Nora McManus. The family lived near the Long Island Sound in New York, so they spent much time sailing and swimming, which remained an important part of both girls’ lives.

Janey attended William Smith College in the Finger Lakes region, where she met her future husband Henry NW Lienau, a student at nearby Hobart College. They left school after their sophomore year, with Harry joining the Army and deploying to Korea, and Janey beginning her career as a legal secretary at the Pentagon. Her skills, though now somewhat obsolete, were invaluable at the time: she typed 120 words per minute and took shorthand at a similarly rapid pace. In future years she enjoyed annoying her daughter and friends by writing in shorthand, which no one else could decipher. Her daughter sought revenge by learning ancient Greek.

Upon Harry’s return at the end of the Korean War, they married and moved to Westchester County in New York. Their first child, Mark Williams Lienau, was born on October 14th, 1961, soon before they bought a house in Stanwood, a lovely remote neighborhood on the Croton Reservoir. Daughter Jane Anne Lienau arrived on July 7, 1963. As children they skated and swam illegally in the reservoir, and had epic sledding adventures. Janey assumed the duties of homemaker during these years, and enjoyed cooking and crafts, at which she was remarkably gifted. She made all of her own clothes, as well as upholstering furniture and eventually knitting, which became a huge part of her life. She also sold her delicious quiches and lemon meringue pies to local caterers.

After Harry left them in 1973, Janey resumed her secretarial career, ultimately being hired at IBM’s Legal Headquarters in Armonk, New York. Janey remained in her house in Stanwood, as her children, both high school teachers, married and began their own families. Janey made the wedding dresses of her daughter-in-law Frankie and her daughter Jane, and both were worthy of designer labels. Mark and his wife Frankie Zittel Lienau, a science and special education teacher respectively, lived in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont with their children Donald Williams and Janet Rebecca (Becky). They were avid skiers in the winter, and spent most summers at Frankie’s family house on Lake Saranac in the Adirondacks. Jane and her husband Jeffrey Rowe, a writer, live in Bowdoinham, Maine, close to Jane’s job as a Latin teacher. Their children, Samuel Floyd, George Nash, and Ellen Jane (Nell), spent much time with their Granny, who moved in 1998 from New York to Yarmouth, Maine, to be closer to them. Yarmouth became the epicenter of Janey’s social life, until she moved to Portland for her final three years. She remained quite close to her beloved sister Gael, who had lived part of the year in Portland until her death in 2006.

Janey quickly established a large group of friends, as had always been her wont. She belonged to two book clubs, making several close friends and always baking something delicious for their meetings. She continued with her crafts, in particular her knitting, at which she was especially gifted. Several of her children’s sweaters won prizes at local craft fairs before she gave them to her grandchildren and those of her friends. Through her crafts she met some women who had a spinning club (as in wool, not exercise bikes!). Janey belonged to that for many years, carding and spinning wool that she would then transform into gorgeous knitwear: hats, mittens, socks, and sweaters. Janey’s warmth, humor, and compassion were beloved by all who knew her, as was her omnipresent bright red lipstick.

When Janey moved into the Barron Center in Portland, she was at first a little unsure, but soon found the care and comfort of the staff to be a peaceful haven after years of struggling through financial and physical difficulties. As she established friendships with other residents, her natural compassion earned her an official nametag designating her as “Chief Comforter.” But it was among the staff-- the CNAs, nurses, social workers, activity directors, cleaning and food service workers, clerical staff—that Janey built her strongest bonds. She was cared for expertly, consistently, and lovingly, even to the point where, as she became weaker, anyone who saw her without the signature red lipstick on would hurry to find it and apply it. For her final year, Janey received the additional care of Compassus Hospice Care, whose support supplemented Barron Center’s amazing care, and offered Janey another group of people to whom she could spread her warmth and love.

Janey is survived by her son Mark and his children Donny and Becky, her daughter Jane and son-in-law Jeff and their children Sam, George, and Nell, as well as Sam’s wife Lauren and four great-grandchildren, Anna, Simeon, Thomas, and Elijah. Finally by her dear cousin Lynnie and husband Bob.

A celebration will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Barron Center (attn: Janey Lienau Fund), Compassus Hospice Care, or the charity of your choice that might have had special meaning to you and Janey. Thank you all for your friendship and love.