Maureen Louise (Brennan) Janeway
Maureen Louise (Brennan) Janeway, lovingly known as “Moe,” passed away peacefully on December 27, 2025, at the age of 71, in Santa Barbara, California.
Maureen was born on November 9, 1954, in Dallas, Texas, to Robert Brennan and Marilyn (Kolar) Brennan. She moved to Chicago at the age of two, where she was raised and later met the love of her life, Terry Janeway, her husband of 41 years. In 1998, Maureen and Terry moved to Santa Barbara, where she built a life centered on family, community and service, especially for the special needs community.
For more than 35 years, Maureen enjoyed a distinguished career as a health care advertising executive in Chicago. She served as Vice President at Topin & Associates for over 30 years, working alongside her dear friend Alan Topin Throughout her career she was respected for her intelligence, creativity, leadership, and integrity, and most of all for her gift of forming lasting friendships and making everyone she encountered feel special.
Maureen’s generosity extended far beyond her professional life. She was a dedicated volunteer and served on the Board of Directors of Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara for more than 15 years, including several terms as Board President. Following the tragic loss of her daughter, Katie, Maureen co-founded Katie’s FUNd in partnership with Alpha Resource Center. Established in 2003, Katie’s FUNd provides meaningful social and recreational opportunities for teens with mental and/or physical disabilities. The program delivers teens a place to excel through love, compassion, and hope.
In recognition of her extraordinary service, Maureen was honored as Santa Barbara County “Woman of the Year” in 2004, an award that reflected the profound impact she had on her community.
Above all, Maureen was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, and a gracious, caring friend to so many. She will be remembered as a beautiful, kind, and loving soul, totally devoted to her family, and equally known for her sharp wit and fabulous sense of humor. Her warmth, strength, and laughter will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to know her. A common refrain of her friends was that she was truly “one of a kind”.
Maureen is survived by her devoted husband, Terrall “Terry” Janeway; her son, Christopher Janeway; her daughter-in-law, Katy (Espley-Jones) Janeway; and her cherished grandchildren, Brennan (12) and Graham (10).
She is also survived by her siblings: Robert “Bobby” Brennan, Margarete “Peggy” (McGillen) Brennan, William “Bill” Brennan, Kandi (Kihm) Brennan, Patricia “Patty” (Brennan) Hunt, and Barbara (Brennan) Cassidy, Charles Cassidy; her siblings-in-law Lynn Janeway Murphy, Alan Murphy, Tim Janeway, Lisa Janeway, Stacey (Janeway) Rembisz, and Ray Rembisz; and her parents-in-law, Gary Janeway and Jacquelyn (Welsh) Janeway. She is also beloved as Aunt Moe to 19 nieces and nephews, and their spouses and partners.
She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Katherine “Katie” Janeway, and by her parents, Robert Brennan and Marilyn (Kolar) Brennan, her sister Mary (Brennan) Clark and her brother-in-law, John Hunt.
We are grateful and humbled by the love and support of family and friends for Maureen and our family. It has meant so very much to us all.
A visitation and rosary will be held at McDermott-Crockett Mortuary on Wednesday, January 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at San Roque Catholic Church in Santa Barbara on Thursday, January 15, at 10:30 a.m., with burial immediately following the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Katie’s FUNd, c/o Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara, in Maureen’s memory.
