September 6, 1938 - September 1, 2011 A celebration of Janet's life is scheduled for October 1, from 2 to 4 pm at the Montclair Civic Building in Montclair Park, 6820 East 12th Avenue, Denver Colorado. 72, of Denver, CO passed away after a long illness on September 1, 2011. Born to Eugene and Bernetta Osborn in Norfolk, Nebraska on September 6, 1938, she grew up in York, NE as the second of eight children. She graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1955 and Duschesne College in Omaha, NE in 1959. Janet was married to native Omahan William Thomas Caniglia from 1960 to 1977; in 1974 they and their five children moved to Denver, where she worked to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment for Colorado. She earned a Master's Degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Colorado at Denver in 1980. Among many other projects, Janet collaborated with the National Park Service on the landscape design for the Kawuneeche Visitors Center at the West Entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. A member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Colorado Native Plant Society, and the Denver Botanic Gardens, she was also actively involved in developing and promoting the Xeriscape movement to create low-water and low-maintenance landscapes in Colorado. Janet had an incredible passion for her work as a landscape architect, and was known to friends, neighbors, and family as an avid gardener outdoors and a miracle worker with houseplants. She had many other creative and artistic pursuits, and was a well-informed enthusiast of art, design, music, and literature in a wide range of styles. A voracious reader and formidable Scrabble player with a keen interest in politics and current events, she served with pride as an election poll worker. She loved travel and camping, and enjoyed numerous trips in the Colorado Rockies, the Southwest, Europe, and elsewhere. An early proponent of “thrifting,” she discovered countless treasures at garage sales and thrift stores, and elevated gift-giving to a true art with elaborately wrapped presents and boxes for all occasions. Janet was preceded in death by her father (1979) and mother (2001); son John Joseph Caniglia (2000), and brother John Edward Osborn (2010). She is survived by siblings Genie Lenihan, Julie Schultz, Jane Mershon, Joyce Osborn Moore, Jim Osborn, and Jerome Osborn; and daughters Patricia Caniglia Winslow (Montrose, CO), Catherine LeDuke (Denver), Julie Caniglia (Minneapolis) and Christina Madsen (Houston); along with their partners and spouses. Eight grandchildren that she dearly loved -- Ethan, Deryn, Charlotte, and Frances LeDuke; Evan McGhee; and Henry, Oliver, and Elliot Madsen -- also survive her. A celebration of Janet's life will be held October 1, with details to be posted here shortly. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in the name of Janet M. Caniglia to The Hospice of Saint John (hospiceofsaintjohn.org), The Denver Hospice (thedenverhospice.org), Arbor Day Foundation (arborday.org), The Land Institute (landinstitute.org), or Heifer International (heifer.org).
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Janet Marie Caniglia, please visit our flower store.