Janette Middleton Cranshaw

Janette Middleton Cranshaw, 82, died peacefully at the Atria Maplewood Alzheimer’s unit in Malden, MA on April 6, 2020. She was born to Eleanor and Washington Irving Middleton, and was a devoted sister to Elliot, all of whom predeceased her. She is survived by her daughter, Deborah (Day), son, Philip, and  her five stepchildren (and spouses), Whitney (and Sue), John (and Shelly), Russell (and Moira), Bill (and Paula) and Janet (and John). She is also survived by her adored son-in-law Patrick Farenga and by her beloved grandchildren Lauren, Alison and Audrey, and step grandchildren, Sam, Jennifer, Jackson, Laura and David.

Janette was born on April 26, 1937 and grew up in Watertown and then in  Belmont. She was raised in the Belmont Methodist Church and made lifelong friends there and at Belmont High. Janette attended Radcliffe College where she met and married Harvard student Graham Yelland. They graduated in 1959 and Graham joined the Army. They were stationed in Washington, Hawaii, and Germany, and had two children, Deborah and Philip. During this time Janette converted to Catholicism; she later became president of the Catholic Guild for Europe while in Germany. One of Janette’s greatest joys was traveling throughout Europe and visiting seemingly every Cathedral.

 Janette resettled in Belmont and married Philip Cranshaw in 1982. Phil and she enjoyed large family gatherings, trips to Five Isles, ME, and annual trips to Cape Cod. She taught religious history in parochial schools for 30 years, including being Director of religious education at St. Joseph’s Church in Belmont. Janette’s love of music, as a listener and performer, endured throughout her life. She sang in the  St. Joseph’s Church choir for over 20 years. In retirement, Janette became a reporter at the Belmont Media Center and interviewed many prominent local  people for community cable TV. Her husband Phil died in 2015.

 Due to the pandemic, no funeral mass or public services will be held. There will be a private service for immediate family at the Brown and Hickey Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Janette’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association: alz.org/act/donate.

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