Constance 'Connie' Janack

“Come to me … and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28-29

GLENVILLE – Constance “Connie” Janack, steadfast in her faith and defined by her love for family, was peacefully welcomed home by the Lord on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Born on July 16, 1933, on North Jay Street in the heart of what is now known as Schenectady’s ‘Little Italy,’ Connie was the daughter of the late John and Raffaela (Valentino) DeMatteo. She graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy in 1951 and soon after found work with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.

Connie shared her faith in Catholic youth groups, where she would meet the love of her life, Ralph Janack. They married June 6, 1959, and Connie left work to raise her family, first in Schenectady on Ruby Road and Van Vranken Avenue, until moving to East Glenville in 1964.

There she raised four children, separated in age by seven years, and when the youngest was in school full-time Connie returned to work at K-Mart on Route 50 in Glenville, a mile from her home, in 1973. Starting in the children’s department, ‘Clock No. 91’ rose to become office manager, a job that frequently lasted well past regular working hours. In fact, the store was often referred to as ‘C-Mart’ or ‘Connie-Mart’ by her co-workers, friends, and family in recognition of her knowledge, work ethic, and loyalty.

Connie retired from K-Mart after more than 30 years, but she grew restless with idle time and soon found herself working for several years at the Glenville Hannaford, lastly as a pharmacy assistant, before retiring for good.

Over the years Connie was a member of the Home Bureau, worked with ceramics, and assisted her husband when he served as president of the St. Joseph’s School PTO. Never one to stray far, Connie preferred the comfort and solace of her home, church, and neighborhood. In keeping with her Italian roots, holiday meals were often sumptuous productions with several courses that left the family wondering when the other 100 people were stopping by.

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, godmother, aunt, and friend, Connie was a fighter her entire life, her enduring strength knowing no bounds. Diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1960s, she was a survivor when many women of that time were not as fortunate. She once admitted to never believing she’d make it to the age of 40 but, with her typical stubbornness and determination, she more than doubled that number.

Connie maintained a fair but strict household, so much so that her children drew up ‘The Rules of Connieism,’ a list of chores and requirements with tasks like brushing teeth and washing faces. She would often ask that things be done, then re-do them afterward. To Connie, there was her way, and the wrong way.

That’s not to say Connie didn’t have a great sense of humor, a dry wit, and the occasional hijinks. There was the Christmas where she got a little tipsy (it took about two sips) and danced in the living room with a lampshade on her head. Or the time she shouted a certain male body part as an answer while watching Family Feud (naturally, the answer was there). Once she discovered the internet, it seemed there was a delivery truck every other day dropping off packages (most of which were returned).

In later years, Connie enjoyed spending time with family, especially her grandchildren; keeping up on the gossip through visitors, Soap Opera Digest, People magazine, and the New York Post; helping make rosaries for Immaculate Conception Church in Glenville; doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles, the Jumble and the weekly Boggle; watching her game shows, particularly Family Feud and America Says; EWTN (aka the God channel), PGA Golf, Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor and Hallmark Channel (Her favorite Hallmark movie was the one where the two polar opposites have a clash at the beginning, are thrown together awkwardly and wind up developing a mutual attraction, then have a terrible misunderstanding before reconciling and going on to live happily ever after. So, every movie).

Connie was predeceased by her parents; her beloved daughter, Sandra Janack Chase, in 2002; her husband of 49 years, Ralph, in 2009; and a sister, Marion, in 2018.

She is survived by her daughter, Sue DeMarco of Wilton; sons Stephen (Margo) Janack of Glenville and Phillip Janack of Glenville and Hallandale Beach, Fla.; grandchildren Kerry (Trevor) Assimos, Connor DeMarco, Tyler Chase, Jinx Raffaela Janack, and Joshua Janack; great-grandchildren Alexei Assimos and Esme DeMarco; sisters Philomena Derenske, Ann (John) Felczak and brother John DeMatteo; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to the numerous doctors, nurses, aides and health professionals that helped care for Connie in her later years, the family would like to thank those special friends that offered their love, support and companionship, particularly Anne LaBounty, Rachel Winters, Debbie Coppola, Rick and Betsy Bollten, Pam Gotzmer and the late Stephanie Rousseau.

A viewing will be held Wednesday, May 17 at 10 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 400 Saratoga Rd., Glenville, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 11 a.m. Interment will be at St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Glenville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Immaculate Conception Church, Glenville.