Janet Louise (Griffin) Neal 81 of Austin, TX passed away peacefully on Friday, January 17th, 2025 at the Cedar Ridge Alzheimer’s Memory Care Center in Cedar Park, TX.

She was born March 10th, 1943 in Grand Forks, ND to Ruby I (Steedsman) and James P Griffin and raised in Larimore, ND. As a little girl, Janet enjoyed taking dance classes and performing in dance programs. She was the youngest of four children and could often be found in the kitchen baking sweets with her mom and grandmother.

During the warmer months Janet helped her parents garden, developing a taste for various vegetables and a love for growing beautiful plants and flowers. She played the trumpet and later the French horn and sang in both her high school (Larimore) and church (St Stephens) choirs.

After graduating Larimore High School in 1961, Janet attended North Dakota State University where she received a degree in Home Economics, Foods and Nutrition and was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

Janet was married in 1964 to Lawrence L Neal and they later divorced in 1978 while residing in Knoxville, TN. She liked the city so much she stayed, raising her three children there until she relocated to Austin, TX in 2005. Her occupations were always in food services, working in hospitals, school systems, including Montana State University, and various restaurants. Most notably the Copper Cellar family of restaurants in TN where Janet was featured in the newspaper for their Pumpkin Cheesecake! She was a very talented cake decorator and made custom wedding and birthday cakes.

Whether residing in ND, TN or TX Janet was always involved in her local church and charities, freely giving her time and financial resources. For over 30 years she sponsored needy children through the Unbound Catholic Charity. In Texas she donated groceries weekly to the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, ministered in the Hearthstone nursing home and was a member of the St. William’s Round Rock choir as well as their Praise and Worship team.

Janet was active and enjoyed walking around the neighborhood, exercising at the community center and attending water aerobics. She made fast friends wherever she was and when her memory began to decline several neighbors and friends helped keep a watchful eye on her and drive her to various exercise and church activities.

She was an avid bird watcher, always keeping her multiple bird feeders full which then naturally grew dozens of sunflowers under the feeders each summer.

Janet’s favorite activity was being with her grandchildren, attending their school events, games and birthday parties. She especially loved baking cookies and candies at Christmas and decorating sugar cookies with her grandchildren. She often made up to 15 different varieties and would gift Christmas cookie trays to everyone she knew.

Janet is lovingly remembered by her children: Lawrence (Carol) Neal Austin, TX; Paul Neal Franklin, TN; Julie Griffin Austin, TX; her grandchildren: Shane (Alyssa) Neal; Kate (Lawson) Faris; Megan Neal; Evan Griffin; Lucas Griffin; Baxter Neal; Prescott Neal; Tessa Griffin and Warner Neal; her great-grandchildren Graham Faris, Kacey Neal and Jack Faris; her brother Pat (Thomas) Griffin, and her nieces and nephews and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers James F Griffin and Lawrence J Griffin, her sisters-in-law Barbara (Lilja) Griffin and Mildred (Landman) Griffin, and her nephew David Griffin.

A memorial mass will be held in the Sacred Heart Chapel at St William’s Catholic Church (620 Round Rock West Drive Round Rock, Texas 78681) on Friday February 7th at 10am. She will be buried alongside her family in the Bellevue Cemetery in Larimore, ND.

In lieu of flowers and memorials, please consider donating in her honor to either the Unbound Catholic Child Sponsor Organization (www.unbound.org) the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry (www.svdprr.com) or the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org)

May Janet rest in peace. She will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to be touched by her baking, her smile and her love.

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