Jane (Giardino) L. Smith Obituary

With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Jane L. Smith of Arvada, Colorado, who passed away on January 20, 2021 at the age of 81. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family.

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Janie Giardino Smith of Arvada, 1939-2021, who died Jan. 20, and her husband Syd who died in 2005, chaired the committee which planned the very first benefit dinner-auction for the Capuchin Franciscan friars back in 1994. Though Janie had a very petite physique, she has been involved ever since then as a huge figure among our benefactors, and is already deeply missed by the present Brown Robe Benefit staff and volunteers.

Janie really loved the friars and she loved to party. She sponsored two tables every year at the Brown Robe Benefit and was even more involved with the Christmas Party at the Colorado Governor's mansion. One year she invited and paid for over 50 of the approximately 100 guests at that event. She also loved the annual Evening in the Garden held in the backyard of St. Francis of Assisi Friary at 36th and Wyandot in North Denver. Without fail she was the last one to leave. That's particularly significant, since having a Friars Gala was first discussed by her and a group of our friends at an evening party in that same backyard not long after the friars moved onto Wyandot St.

The friary had been built as the convent of the Servite Sisters who taught at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High School, which was once located just northwest of the friary and our provincial headquarters. I think Janie told me that she and her twin sister Joni Giardino-Perez were students at that high school. One of the treasures of our archives is a set of photographs taken at that historic evening in the garden.

Syd Smith, a native of London, worked in the airline industry for 35 years, and later was CEO of the Denver Sanitary Co., which was owned by Janie's family. He died in 2005. Janie, who I think had been an airline stewardess in her younger years, continued to work at Denver Sanitary, which was begun by her own father..

Janie is survived by Joni and two other sisters: Elana DesMoineaux of Arvada and Rose M. Fedorowicz of Wheat Ridge. Private services will be held on Friday, February 5, 2021. The Mass and burial will be live streamed via the following link https://vimeo.com . To honor Janie's memory, please consider making a donation in her name to Mother Cabrini Shrine or the Capuchin Province of Mid-America. May Janie be at peace in Our Father's House.

Father Blaine Burkey, O.F.M.Cap.
Capuchin Province of St. Conrad
3615 Wyandot St.
Denver CO 80211