Carmela “Mela” Janots

Carmela "Mela" Janots (nee Carrafiello) age 96 of Lodi, NJ passed peacefully at home on September 28th 2026 surrounded by her loving family. Mela was born in Harlem, NY and relocated to Lodi, NJ where she resided until her passing.

Mela was a Fashion Assistant Buyer for a NYC Fashion Group in NYC, NY. When she relocated to Lodi, NJ she worked as a school cafeteria cook at St. Joseph's School in Lodi and later ended her career as a Company Dispatcher for Serge Elevator Company. Mela then settled into her most important and cherished role as a loving Mother and Matriarch of the family.

Mela is predeceased by her loving Husband, Joseph Janots, and her parents, Dominick and Rose Carrafiello, as well as her brothers Ralph Carrafiello (and his surviving wife Sherry) and Michael Carrafiello, as well as numerous family members that have gone before her.

Mela is the beloved Mother of the late Dominic "Donny" Janots and his surviving wife Marlaine (nee Potenza), Theresa Theobald and her husband Gary, and Joseph F. Janots and his wife Betty Ann (nee Gardner). Mela was a loving Grandma to Dana and her husband Jason, Brittany and her husband Tae, Dominque and her husband Mike, Marissa Janots, and Joseph Janots and his wife Steph. Mela was also blessed with 4 Great-Grandchildren Valentina, Arabella, Dominic and Jackson, her Sister-in-law Barbara and many nieces, nephews, cousins and countless other friends.

Mela will surely be remembered with fondness as a loving Wife and Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother who devoted her life to her family and friends. Family was the essence of who she was and for which she will be always and forever remembered by all who had the good fortune to know and love her.

Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us everyday, unseen, unheard, but always near, always loved, and will always be missed, today and always 🙏🏻

Funeral services from Kugler Funeral Home 311 Fifth Street Saddle Brook, NJ. Visiting hours on Friday, October 2, 2026 from 4-8pm. Funeral mass on Saturday October 3, 2026 10:30am at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church 218 Washington Place Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. Burial immediately afterwards in St. Mary's Cemetery in Saddle Brook, NJ.