Cover photo for Janet Mariani's Obituary
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Janet Mariani

May 26, 1935 — January 31, 2008

Watertown - Janet O'Callaghan Mariani, who loved greatly and was greatly loved, died Thursday despite a valiant battle against cancer. She leaves Terence, her husband of 47 years, three sons Christopher of Boca Raton Florida, David of Watertown and Terence Jr. of Durham CT, and a brother, George O'Callaghan, of Wilmette, IL.

She leaves six grandchildren, Lucy, 10, Zachary and Colin, 7, Benjamin, 5, Alison, 3 and Alayna, 19 months old. She also leaves three nieces and nephews and seven grand nieces and nephews. She was deeply involved in the lives of all the youngsters.

She was kind, gentle, generous, considerate, and compassionate. She had a quick and certain mind, a sunny and true heart and a high and adventurous spirit. True to herself she, to the end, calmed, comforted and consoled those who came to her side as her crisis mounted. She cannot be replaced. She will not be forgotten

She was an apt and accomplished student and scholar. She graduated from Pembroke College in Brown University where she took her junior year at the Sorbonne in Paris. She quickly mastered French and immersed herself in the arts and culture of the country. She read all the great French writers and visited all the museums and galleries where the great art works were exhibited.

After graduating from Brown she became an interpreter for the United States State Department and represented America at the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels. She returned to New York where she studied dance with Martha Graham and Eric Hawkins. She was an accomplished dancer and choreographer. She taught dance and French for a decade at the Taft School.

She loved the performing arts and music. She was happiest when the curtain was rising. One of her most prized theatrical adventures was a standing room ticket for the opening night of West Side Story. She loved music of all sorts from Leonard Bernstein, to Chet Baker, to Puccini, to Mahler, to Sinatra, to Bill Evans. She was an avid reader, sometimes reading two or three novels simultaneously.

She sought, found and shared joy with those she loved. She created fun and happiness when there was none to be had. She traveled widely in Europe, Eastern Europe, Egypt and South America. She brought home stories of her great adventures. While in Egypt she rode an Arabian stallion on the banks of the Nile.

She loved and was enthusiastic about so many things and people - horses, dogs, sailboats, flowers, cats, trees, birds, pasta, wine, finochio Marcello Mastroianni, Lawrence Olivier, James Dean, George Balanchine Mark Morris, Montgomery Clift, Maggie Smith, Judy Dench, Maria Callas, Raymond Carver and on and on.

Every summer of her life -- except for the year in Paris -- she went, mostly with her family and then with her children and grandchildren, to Green Lake Wisconsin, where the long tail Irish side of her family has summered since 1895.

Her generosity was manifest in her support of many charities that aid children and wildlife. One of her favorites was the International Heifer Project which benefits and bonds children, families and animals.

She loved and was an expert in human relations. Her compassion led her to become, for a long time, a drug and alcohol counselor where she touched and righted many lives. She made and kept many friends including three who she met in kindergarten, and with whom, six decades later she took a month-long trip to Italy.

She had a ready smile, and an open and giving heart with which she spread happiness and joy far and wide. She was everybody's special and best friend.

Janet was born May 26, 1935 in Evanston, ILL., a daughter of the late George R. and Margaret (Griffiths) O'Callaghan.

A funeral Mass for Janet will be held on Tuesday at the Church of the Immaculate Conception 11:00 a.m to be followed by a brunch with relatives and friends at the Watertown Golf Club, Guernseytown Road, Watertown. There are no calling hours. Burial will be private. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the O'Neill Funeral Home, 742 Main Street Oakville, CT 06779. Donations to the International Heifer Project, 1 World Ave. Little Rock Arkansas 72202, www.heifer.org . or to a charity of the donor's choice are requested in lieu of flowers. For more information, directions or to send an online condolence, kindly visit www.oneillfuneralhome.com .
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