Janet Holden
December 15, 1937- April 11, 2026
Janet Holden, age 88, passed away in NYC on April 11th, 2026 after a brief illness. A lifelong New Yorker, Janet was born and raised in Queens, but always knew that she truly belonged in Manhattan. She moved to the city after college, where she remained until the end of her life.
Janet graduated from Hunter College with a degree in Education. She received her Master’s degree from Bank Street College of Education. She became a special education teacher for the NYC Board of Education, where she taught for over 30 years in a variety of programs. The highlight of her career was teaching children in a psychiatric hospital setting at Payne Whitney.
Janet was a fiercely independent person who lived life on her own terms. She loved to travel and meet new people. She had many friends and loved talking on the phone. Janet was very active and enjoyed walking around her beloved Upper East Side neighborhood, often spending the entire day out and about. She particularly enjoyed spending afternoons in Carl Schurz Park, visiting museums, going to the movies, experiencing live music, and checking out books from the public library.
She is survived by a brother, several nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and cousins. Janet’s two NY nieces followed in her footsteps and became educators just like her. They loved her very much and will miss her greatly.