Janet Wolford, 85, passed away on May 17, 2025, following a prolonged and private illness.

She was born on July 19, 1939, in McKinney, Texas, in the closing years of the Great Depression. Janet was the only child of William Phillips Wolford, a local merchant, and Mona Pearl Davis Wolford, a schoolteacher. Both of her parents were members of large, established pioneer families whose roots run deep in Collin County.

Janet graduated from the original McKinney Boyd High School in 1956 at the age of 16. A gifted musician, she earned a scholarship to Texas Christian University, where she studied music education and participated in the marching band, orchestra, and the national music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon.

Following her graduation in 1960, Janet began her career in education, teaching music to middle and high school students in Weatherford for two years, followed by a year of teaching in Amarillo.

She later returned to North Texas to continue her studies at North Texas State University, her parents’ alma mater, where she earned a master’s degree in library and information science.

After a brief tenure with the university library, Janet began a long and distinguished career in 1968 with Mobil Gas Corporation in research and development. She remained with the company for 32 years, retiring in 2000.

In 1980, Janet purchased her home in Duncanville, Texas, where she would reside for the remainder of her life. She paid off her mortgage in 1993, a reflection of the careful and deliberate way she managed her affairs.

Janet was preceded in death by her father in 1973 and her mother in 2003, as well as many dear and longstanding friends.

She will be remembered for her independence, her quiet generosity, and the steady, self-sustained life she built on her own terms.

In accordance with her wishes, those who would like to honor her memory are encouraged to make a donation in her name to the Tri-City Animal Shelter and Adoption Center of Cedar Hill, Texas.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/janet-wolford/obituary/

Copy