Jane M. Lavin

Jane MacDonnell Lavin, lovingly known as Janie, was born on September 6, 1946, in Weymouth, Massachusetts, to Norma Cushing MacDonnell and John F. MacDonnell. The oldest of eight children, she grew up surrounded by family and remained close to her siblings throughout her life. She died on October 10, 2026, at the age of 80.

Janie graduated from King Philip Regional High School in South Attleboro in 1964. In 1968, she graduated from Stonehill College with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. After college, she worked for John Hancock in Boston before moving to Hingham, where she found great joy in raising her children. Janie was active in the Hingham Mothers Club and served as its president. She especially enjoyed helping create the club’s floats for Hingham’s annual Fourth of July parade.

In 1999, after her children were grown, Janie began her dream career in real estate, selling homes throughout the South Shore. What she treasured most was the connection she built with her clients, their families, and the wider community.

In her later years, Janie enjoyed traveling, staying active with her loving partner, and spending time with her grandchildren. She especially loved tea time with her Aunt Mary and her cousins. In 2018, she survived an aortic dissection. After living for many years at Broad Reach in Weymouth, she spent her final years near Jessica and in the loving care of the “angels” at Avita of Brunswick.

Janie was the loving mother of James William Lavin of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Jessica Griffin and her husband, Kevin, of Harpswell, Maine. She was a devoted grandmother to Liam and Emma Lavin of Plymouth and Tanner and Kamillah Griffin of Harpswell. Her grandchildren were the lights of her life.

Janie was predeceased by her second son, Douglas, who passed away in 1974; her sister Veronica Sherman; and her great-nephew Sean. She is survived by her sisters Julia MacDonnell Chang, Leah Macomber, Andrea Deyermond, and Amy MacDonnell; her brothers Dan and Greg; her sisters-in-law Maureen and Celia; and her brothers-in-law Dennis, Jack, Cal, and Jerry. She was an incredibly proud aunt to many nieces and nephews and their children. She loved sharing stories about their milestones and adventures with others.

Her life was one of great perseverance, connections, and antics that brought joy to her family and friends. She will be remembered for her laughter, her passion for real estate, and the many ways she connected with those around her.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visiting hours on Monday, October 19, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), Hingham. A funeral service will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church in Hingham, followed by burial at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy.