Janet Marie McKenna

Janet Marie McKenna 84 left us quietly on July 16th 2017, to join her soul mate and husband Laurel McKenna, in Heaven. She was born January 22, 1933, to John (Jack) and Beulah Melander. She attended SunnySlope grade school, and graduated from H.B Ellison Junior High School in June 1948. She and her three sisters loved the outdoors, swimming and horseback riding. She met and married Basil Colwell and moved to Wenatchee Heights. Together they had five children. Later Jan moved back down to Wenatchee and got a job as secretary for Black and Gold Canning and when the company closed she worked as a legal secretary for Bernice Bachrack. In 1964 she went to work as secretary and payroll clerk at Wenoka and was there when the company became Chief Wenatchee. Jan worked for Chief for thirty seven years and during that time, she met and married her beloved husband Laurel McKenna in 1985. They enjoyed camping and fishing together at Lake Wenatchee. She was also an avid gardener and a wonderful cook. Every day she took goodie trays to work for the crew and on holidays she and Pop would spend hours baking and decorating cookies and candies for the family and everyone else that would eat them. They loved working side by side in the yard of their home and spent long hours painting and remodeling. Jan loved her family most of all. She always had something cooking on the stove or baking in the oven. No one ever left hungry that’s for sure. She also had a huge heart and loved people unconditionally. Even if she had just met you, you could not escape without a hug. She’s probably hugged half of Wenatchee during her lifetime. Last but not least, she adored her pets and had many through the years. They were her “babies.”She especially loved her pugs. Jan also managed to feed every stray in the neighborhood, plus the birds and the deer that came down in the winter. She was a loving, caring, hard working woman with a great sense of humor. She will be so missed by those she left behind. Jan was preceded in death by her parents Jack and Beulah Melander, Brothers Dale and Ralph, sisters Miriam and Donna, two sons Russell and Tracy, a great grandson Lincoln, and her loving husband Laurel. She is survived by her sister and best friend Beverly Pearson of Wenatchee, daughters Shannon Scott of Wenatchee, Kim and (Dennis) Cox of Dryden, her son Blaine and( Donna) Colwell of Florence Montana, stepdaughters Jean McKenna of East Wenatchee, Kathy Gonzales of Wenatchee, and Shelley and (Greg) Aiken of Wenatchee. She was blessed with 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the Coag staff at Wenatchee Valley Clinic, and the Homecare and Hospice staff at Central Washington Hospital. These folks are angels here on earth. Join us in a “Celebration of Life” for Jan, on September 9th from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. at 9 Dana St. Wenatchee. Come and share your memories of this loving woman.

Tributes

Janet Marie McKenna

January 22, 1933 - July 16, 2017