Janet Barillari

Janet Barillari of Buffalo, New York, passed away on March 7, 2026. Before her battle with bladder cancer, Janet worked full time at Tops Friendly Markets. She carried forward the strong work ethic she learned from her father, Al Villa, who continued working well into his nineties. From her mother, Helen, she inherited a quiet and caring nature. For nearly two decades, she worked alongside her father at his business, Buffalo Lawnmower Supplies on Main Street. She was a graduate of Bennett High School.

Janet was known for putting others before herself. She regularly checked in with family and friends, asking how their work was going and whether they had eaten that day. She had a habit of buying two of everything on sale, just in case someone in the family might need it.

A devoted Buffalo Bills fan, Janet worked as an usher at their games for several seasons in the mid-2010s. She also gave her time as a volunteer with the Red Cross and Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo. In her younger years, she enjoyed gardening and arts and crafts projects. More recently, she found joy in caring for her cat, Felix, and looked forward to a Friday fish fry followed by strawberry shortcake.

Janet was a loving mother to Cheryl (Jeff), Vicky, Mike (Vickie), and Leon (Misty), and a proud grandmother to Michael, PJ, Justin, Joey, and Nathan (Hayley).