Janet Jean Wagner

Janet Jean Tekavec, Wagner, daughter of Joseph Tekavec and Leah Jacoby, was born on October 16, 1934 in Denver, Colorado. She was one of two children. Janet was born in the house that her grandfather Jacoby built in Globeville, Colorado.

She attended and graduated from North High School in Denver.

Janet met the love of her life, Jerry Wagner, and were married on March 8, 1953. Shortly afterwards they moved to California where Jerry was stationed in the Navy. They moved back to Colorado in 1954 when Jerry was released from active duty.

Together they went on to operate Wagner’s Grocery and Market from 1958 to 1970. They were well known for their homemade German sausage, but also for their kindness and generosity, especially to those who were struggling in one way or another.

During this time Janet and Jerry were blessed with a daughter, Tammy Jean Wagner on December 6, 1957 and a son, Terry Jay Wagner, on October 29, 1962.

After the sale of their market in 1970, the family moved to North Denver where Janet began working for El Jebel Shriners as the Circus Office Manager for the next 20 years.

Janet had many talents including ceramics, painting, woodworking, canning, upholstery, sewing, cooking, and baking.

Her sewing projects varied from Barbie clothes, to kid’s costumes, wedding dresses, coats, drapes and quilts.

Many Holiday memories were made surrounding Janet’s cooking and baking. Christmas was her favorite holiday and she would spend weeks decorating and making Christmas cookies and peanut brittle for friends and family. Every year they both worked very hard on setting up her hand painted Christmas Village for the season. She enjoyed challenging herself with new projects, and making things for her

loved ones.

Janet went to be with her husband, Jerry, in Heaven on August 18th 2020. She will be greatly missed, as she leaves behind two devoted children, Tammy (Wagner)Painter (Ric Painter) and Terry Wagner (Marilee Wagner), four adoring grandchildren Chelsea Painter, Daric Painter (Noemi Painter) Jackson Wagner (Danielle Cook) and Alec Wagner. She also had four admiring great-grandchildren Shaniah Painter, Quentin Waters, Yudith Estrada, and Emilio Painter. She was a wonderful wife, an amazing mother, a loving grandmother, and a doting great-grandmother. We were all blessed to grow up with her love, guidance, generosity, and thoughtfulness . Janet and Jerry were a paragon of love and dedication to each other, and to their family.