GRELLA, Janice Anne

Janice Anne Grella of Litchfield, died peacefully on Saturday, (December 13, 2008) at John Dempsey Hospital after gracefully and courageously fighting a long battle with cancer. Born on December 29, in Old Forge, PA to Peter and Alice (Kesnoski) Sokoloski, she attended Mount Alvernia Academy, Misericordia University and received her Masters in Education from Boston College. She went on to teach in the Pennsylvania and Washington DC area before moving to Connecticut to teach at Terryville High School. Janice spent the final 22 years of her career at Litchfield High School where she was not simply concerned with making sure her students understood math but cared deeply about them as individuals. After retiring, Janice taught at the UCONN Torrington Branch and was a dedicated volunteer at UCONN Health Center. Janice will be treasured for her kind and loving ways and will be remembered for her beautiful flower beds, love of bluebirds, doing crossword puzzles and her endless baking. Janice leaves behind her husband Michael of Litchfield; and daughter Melissa of Jamaica Plain, MA. She is also survived by her sister, Theresa Skibinski and her husband Richard of Westmont, NJ; her brother, Walter Sokolowski and his wife Barbara; and her sister, Alice Schmidt and her husband Harry, both of Old Forge, PA; as well as several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her sister, Marilyn Barr. Her family extends their deep gratitude to the entire staff at UCONN Health Center, particularly those in the Neag Cancer Center, those on the 6th floor Oncology Unit and Dr. Susan Tannenbaum whose caring and compassion meant the world to Janice. Calling hours will be from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Rowe Funeral Home, 283 Torrington Road, in Litchfield. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10, Thursday morning at St. Anthony of Padua Church on South Street in Litchfield. Entombment will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Bristol. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Litchfield Children's Fund, Box 774, Litchfield, CT 06759 or Americares, 88 Hamilton Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902.