Mary Janice Whitney

Janice Whitney, of Lafayette, formerly of Boulder, a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and educator was born February 23, 1935 in Oto, Iowa to Berenice (Green) and Jess Benton Sr. She passed away on May 27, 2022. She was 87 years old.

Janice graduated from Oto High School in 1953. She began her college career at Wayne State College where she was the recipient of any honors.

Janice was named 1955 Homecoming Queen as well as1955 Nebraska College Queen and represented the state of Nebraska in the National College Queen Finals in New Jersey. She was named to who’s who in American Universities and Colleges in 1956 and 1957. She graduated with honors from Wayne State College in 1957.

On August 10, 1957 Janice married Jim Whitney. They began their married life in Fort Dodge, Iowa where Jim was the Head Basketball Coach at St. Edmond’s High School and Janice taught kindergarten. She had taught kindergarten the previous semester in Sioux City, Iowa.

In 1963 they moved to Boulder, Colorado where Jim worked at the University of Colorado and Janice was a stay-at-home mom. Her career path began again when she became a kindergarten teacher at Burke Elementary. She also taught at Baseline Elementary and Eisenhower Elementary, where she was on the original staff. In 1971 Janice was named Outstanding Young Educator by the Boulder Jaycees.

These are the facts about Janice, but she was so much more. She loved children, kindergarten, St Jude’s, cooking, entertaining, flowers, reading, anything Irish, winters in Arizona, the CU Buffs,

and decorating. Most of all she loved her family, her friends and her community.

Janice was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, her parents, Jess and Berenice Benton,

and her brothers Jess Jr. and Ralph Benton. She is survived by her children John (Leslie) of

Phoenix, AZ, Suzy Whitney of Superior, CO, Tom Whitney of Lafayette, CO, and two

grandchildren Jack and Hannah (Matt) of Scottsdale AZ.

A memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, June 9th, at St. Thomas Aquinas, 898 14th Street, Boulder CO 80302.

Flowers may be sent to St. Thomas for the service or, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital P.O Box 1000 Memphis, TN 38148-0142.

A hundred years from now it will not matter what her bank account was, the sort of house she

lived in, or the kind of car she drove. But the world may be different because she was

important in the life of a CHILD.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cristmortuary.com for the Whitney family.