Janice (“Jan”) Louise Myers Galletly ascended gracefully on Nov. 8, 2024, just one hour after the 68th anniversary of her first date with her beloved husband, Al.
Born in Hanover, PA on Oct. 15, 1938 to Needham “Mommoo” and Richard “Poppoo” Myers, Jan was seven minutes younger than her fraternal twin, Helen — and never let her forget it. They were the mischievous younger sisters to their brother Pete, who they loved to torture with various pranks. Pete predeceased Jan in 1973 but left her with a dear sister-in-law, Liz, for whom Jan’s only grandchild, Elizabeth, was named.
The Myers family moved to Massillon, Ohio in the 1940s, where Jan forged friendships in middle and high school that would last a lifetime. A month after arriving at Ohio University, she met her future husband at a dorm mixer — while “tickling the ivories,” Al became captivated by her voice. Jan and Al were married right after graduation in June of 1960. They welcomed daughters Helen Lambert in 1965 and Marion Elizabeth (“Meg”) in 1970.
While Al’s career brought several moves, Jan — a progressive well before it was fashionable — had her own professional pursuits. She excelled as the Director of Tourism for St. Petersburg, Florida, before the family relocated to Wilton in 1982. She then dabbled in travel and event planning before settling into a career in relocation.
A counterpoint to her soaring soprano was Jan’s down-to-earth nature — a warmth that could fill a whole room without seeking the spotlight. Still, the spotlight found her. Together, Jan and Al radiated a magnetism that made them the nucleus of any community. In Florida, she was an active member of the St. Pete Junior League and helped found what would become the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. In Connecticut, she left an indelible mark on organizations like the Wilton Singers — of which she was a founding member — and Wilton Presbyterian Church, where her voice was as beloved as her homemade oatmeal blueberry cake. Anyone who sang with Ja would tell you that singing with her was truly a gift. Her radiant spirit and beautiful voice blessed everyone fortunate enough to experience them.
Jan had an infectious sense of humor and passion for wordplay, taking pride in doing her best to regularly out-pun friends and family members alike. She brought her love of wordplay to the Wilton Library, where she assisted with book sales, and the Norwalk Library, where she was a literacy volunteer, helping people learn English as another language. Note that she would fervently correct anyone who referred to her work as teaching others English as a “second” language; as many of her flock already spoke two or more languages.
Jan’s generous spirit was never more evident than in her family life. She would drop everything for her children, whether driving to DC in the middle of the night to come to Meg’s aid, or flying to Florida to help Helen through chemo. In true grandmother fashion, she introduced Elizabeth to the pleasure of licking the spatula from her famous Coke cake and eating cookie batter. Her pets were pampered, too; Meg jokes that she’d like to be reincarnated as one of Jan’s cats.
In addition to her husband Al, daughters Helen and Meg, and granddaughter Elizabeth, Jan is survived by her twin sister Helen Adele Thurston, son-in-law Bullets Campbell, nieces Marian Grace (David Grace), Nancy-Lee Hugghins (David Hugghins), and Janice Hutchens (Todd Hutchens), and numerous great nieces and nephews.
Jan breathed joy into all things, big and small — be that exploring a foreign country or enjoying a cappuccino and crossword at Tusk N Cup every morning with Al. Her loved ones can easily envision her settling into the soprano section of a heavenly choir, her angelic voice and radiant spirit lighting up the sky.
The family is holding a Celebration of Life ceremony for her on Sunday, March 2, at 3 p.m. at Wilton Presbyterian Church with a reception to follow.
The original article has been updated to correct the spelling of Jan Galletly’s name in the headline.
What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman and a life well lived.
Jan (and Al) always made you feel special and their joy was infectious.
My condolences to Al, Meg and the other family members.
So sad to hear this, but what a lovely tribute to a remarkable woman. Wilton was lucky to have her and AL and the family.