Janet Marie Conley

Janet Marie (Hill) Conley died peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of October 11th 2025 at Charter Senior Living of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Janet is predeceased by her husband, Spencer Conley and her brother, Ronald Hill. She is survived by her son, Christopher Conley, his wife, Krystina Conley, her sister-in-law, Ann Hill, her step-daughter, Andrea Early and her husband, Greg and her step-daughter Michelle Duffy and her husband David, and her grandchildren, Brennan Conley, Patterson Conley, and Rylan Conley, who affectionately called her “Meme.”

Janet was born in 1940 into an Army family in Watertown, MA. She was the daughter of Ernest and Mildred Hill and older sister to Ronald Hill. Except for her 2 years in Nuremburg, Germany, Janet was fortunate to be raised entirely in Watertown, MA. She graduated from Mount Trinity Academy, where the nuns frequently reminded her that “Empty Barrels make the most noise, Ms. Hill!” and attended the Chandler School where she learned shorthand and to be a secretary.

After becoming the only woman ski instructor at both Mount Snow in Vermont and Mount Tremblant in Quebec, Canada throughout the 1960s, she settled into Boston with her 1962 MGA Roadster and began her career at Polaroid in 1969. Janet spent 13 years at Polaroid becoming the director of Global Trade Shows and culminating with organizing the Polaroid Tech Expo in Tokyo in 1982, earning her the Japanese name “Janet-san.” Janet left Polaroid in 1982 and started her own tradeshow consulting firm called JM Conley and Associates until 1984 when she decided to stay home to raise her son, Chris.

Janet was a lifelong volunteer, leading and organizing multiple organizations and events such as President of the Sunderland Women’s Club, the Chair of the Sunderland Fall Festival, the Clerk and a Trustee of the Sunderland Veterans Memorial Committee, and the Clerk of the Sunderland’s 300-Year Anniversary Committee.

Janet was a force to all who knew her. She was kind, caring and fiercely loyal and refused to put up with any crap. She broke multiple barriers for women throughout her life and made this world a better place for generations to come. She always looked out for her people and loved to host large events where she could feed everyone! All major life events needed to be accompanied by food!

“You can lead, follow, or get out of the way. I liked leading the best.” - Janet Conley

Janet shared her vision of Heaven with all who knew her. “When I go thru those pearly gates, the first thing I will see is a red neon sign that is blinking ‘Bar.’ I’m going to saddle up on a stool and order a double Manhattan on the rocks. I’ll take a couple of large sips, light a cigarette, and say, ‘Thank you, Jesus. I have died and gone to Heaven.’”

Cheers to Janet! We will all miss her dearly!

A memorial mass will be held at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Greenfield, MA at 1pm on April 11th 2026 followed by a celebration of life at the Riverside Cemetery in Sunderland, MA.

Condolences can be sent to 11294 Spyglass Cove Lane, Reston, VA 20191.

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