Janette Milano

Janette Thalmann Milano loving wife, mother, sister, aunt and friend passed away Sunday, March 24, 2019 after a long 2 year battle with breast cancer that took her from us too early. Janette was the most loving and caring person that one could possibly encounter. She was the eldest of four siblings born in Salt Lake City 69 years ago to John and Emma Thalmann. Janette married John R. Milano 43 years ago in Salt Lake City. Janette leaves behind her husband John, children Janelle (R. Chad) Cox, Justin, and granddaughter Cambria Cox; in addition to her cherished sisters and brother Marie McCullom, Joan Thalmann, Fred Thalmann as well as numerous nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Janette loved life and all that it had to offer. Her primary life motivations were loving and caring for family and friends, her chosen profession in education, and travel. The new shining light that came into her life five years ago was her precious granddaughter Cambria. As far as Janette was concerned the sun rose and set with this wonderful little girl who from the time she could talk called Janette “J” we’re not to sure why but it stuck so from then on in the family she was “J”. Janette’s definition of family did not follow the traditional definition but included virtually anyone with whom she could develop a connection. That might be almost anyone, which is what I experienced on our train trip from Sicily to the Italy’s Amalfi coast. We had, in error, located ourselves in the wrong train car, which was almost entirely occupied by senior students headed for spring break. Needless to say Janette immediately struck up a conversation with one student who happened to have spent time in the states on a brief student exchange and was able to act as interpreter. As you’d expect, if you knew Janette, the conversation immediately centered on why these kids should be attending college and setting goals. After less than three hours most of the students had shared their future plans and goals with Janette and were treating her as if they had known her their entire life hugging and high fiving. Closer to home some of her younger teachers and even co-administrators with whom she mentored and worked with wound up calling her their second “MOM”. Janette also did not take lightly the word or meaning of “friend” and once a friend it was for life. Her lifelong friend of 47 years, Marty Kelly, has shared family adventures and professional experiences over all of those 47 years and has been there to help me through these sorrowful times.
Janette’s DNA was education. Stories abound about her from the time she could walk about how she would set up classrooms for her dolls and spend countless hours “holding class”. Janette held a masters degree in Speech Pathology, special education certification and administrative credentials from the University of Utah. Janette’s foundation for education focused on a philosophy of caring that endeared her to teachers, students and parents alike. Janette’s professional career involved teaching, special education specialist and education administration in Jordan School District; including serving as a vice principal at Crescent View Middle School, and principal at both Crescent Elementary and South Hills Middle. Janette realized fairly early on as a special ed specialist that she might be better able to help students if she could impact how a school was run. She then started working for her administrative credentials while balancing work and family so that she could impact education from that side of education, administration. Janette always conveyed to me that her career was made complete as she worked with and watch the teachers and administrators she mentored as they succeeded and it would be remiss of me not to convey from her to all those teachers and administrators that she worked with, a heart felt thank you for your friendships. Following retirement from Jordan School District Janette went back to work almost immediately for the University of Phoenix as a teacher/mentor of students striving to become certified educators and school administrators instilling in them the importance of caring for ones staff. Travel was Janette’s third passion invoked from the day we were married when she announced
that our honeymoon would be travelling by camper through Mexico. Our life’s travel adventures started with that trip and only recently ended this past Christmas with our trip to Hawaii. Sandwiched in between were notable trips to Italy, Ireland, Australia, the Rhine River and many other unforgettable places. A typical trip “adventure” example was our sons graduation trip which involved a 17 day motor-home road trip through Canada and Alaska with his best friend Kade, who by the way to this day also calls her “MOM” and our daughter. May her life’s last journey be one that is as memorable and wonderful as the ones we enjoyed together here on earth. We would like to extend a special thanks to Janette’s niece Monica Etzel who provided Janette and me with love, comfort and support for the last months of her life. A special thank you is also extended to the doctors and nurses at the Intermountain Healthcare Oncology Department for their compassion and care over the past two years. A visitation for family and friends will be held on Monday April 1, 2019 from 6 to 8 PM at Memorial Mountain View Mortuary 3115 East 7800 South Cottonwood Heights, Utah. A funeral mass will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 9757 South 1700 East, Sandy, Utah on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 10:00 AM followed immediately by the graveside interment at Memorial Mountain View Cemetery at the address listed above. In lieu of flowers, please consider making phone donation for cancer research to 5 for the Fight Foundation at 5forthefight.org, or call 1-800-227-2345 to donate by phone.
Service Information
Viewing April 1, 2019 at 6:00 to 8:00 PM
Memorial Mountain View Mortuary (3115 East 7800 South, Cottonwood Heights, UT)





Viewing April 2, 2019 at 10:00 AM
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (9757 South 1700 East, Sandy UT)





Funeral Service
April 2, 2019 at 10:30 AM
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (9757 South 1700 East, Sandy UT)