Janette Marie "Jan" Thomas of Hallsboro, NC, passed away on December 31st at the Angel House Hospice Care Center in Whiteville, NC, at the age of 52 with her two beloved daughters by her side.

Jan was born in Hagerstown, MD, on August 15, 1972 to Karen (Bennett) Buffolino where she spent her early childhood and part of her adulthood close to many family members including her grandmother Ruth "Nan" Butts and grandfather Jim "Pap" Butts, aunts, uncles, cousins and two sisters.

Jan moved to NC in the early 2000's with her first daughter to rejoin family who had relocated several years earlier. Over the next ten years, she gave birth to another daughter, and met and married James Leonardo "Lee" Powell in November 2020.

She spent the majority of her time with her family, focusing her time, attention, energy and love on her daughters and husband. Until she fell ill in 2023, she would make frequent trips to SC to visit her mother and other family members. Jan is proceeded in death by her husband James "Lee" Powell, previous fiancé Anthony "Tony" James, mother Karen Buffolino, stepfather Biagio "Tony" Buffolino, grandparents Jim "Pap" and Ruth "Nan" Butts.

She is survived by her daughters, Zana Thomas, Janiyah James; two sisters, Kelli Diehl (husband Daniel Diehl) Gracie Buffolino-Hill (husband Kendrick Hill); four nephews, Sky Fignar, Farrell Reed, Eben and Kaya Diehl; niece Marcella Hill, a great niece, a great nephew; an aunt, Marcia Boalen, and uncle, Terry Bennett; three cousins, Yancy, Justin and Tracy Bennett.

We will miss her smile, her laugh, the way she cheered on and fueled our silliness, and the way she shamelessly adored the new babies born into the family. We will cherish the lifetime of good memories. Her daughters love and will miss her endlessly.

A private Memorial service will be held on February 22, 2025.