Janet Marie (Ostrich) Petricone

Janet Marie Petricone, 85, of Litchfield, CT, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on October 15, 2021.

Daughter of the late John and Alice Ostrich, Jan was born in Hartford, CT and attended Hall High School. She was the first person in her family to attend college, completing one year at Elmira College before transferring to Mount Holyoke College where she graduated in 1958. During her senior year, she met her future husband Bob by luck on a blind double date, where they found themselves more enamored with each other than their intended dates.

Jan’s professional career included WGBH television in Cambridge, MA and Crown Zellerbach in San Francisco, CA, before marrying and residing in Los Angeles, CA, Toronto, ON and Farmington, CT.  She and Bob had one son in Connecticut and the other in Canada, before settling in Litchfield in 1973. 

Raised and educated in New England, Jan was a devoted Red Sox fan, attending numerous games at Fenway Park and spring training in Florida. She was a great friend to all animals, from her many beloved pets to the raccoons, squirrels and bears who frequented her home in the woods. She always looked to the trees and skies for birdlife, which she studied through participation in the local Audubon Society, annual hawk watches in Litchfield, birding in Arizona, and even an intrepid trip to Antarctica to visit penguins. Her other travels took her throughout the US, Europe and Central America, and to many cherished summers in Tuscany and winters in Boca Grande, FL.

Jan will always be known for her kindness, optimism, humor and tenacity. Her commitment and love for her family lives on in those who will treasure her memory and continue her legacy by living their lives to the fullest.

Jan is survived by her husband of 59 years, F. Robert Petricone, and her children Michael Petricone and wife Laura Rawlings of Washington, DC, and Stephen Petricone and wife Laura Cramer of Rowayton, CT.  She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren Fiore, Sofie, Nico and Ana. Jan was the sister of Jack Ostrich and wife Mary Ostrich of Sacramento, CA. She also leaves behind many dear nieces and nephews and their children.

A special thanks to the staff at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford for their outstanding and compassionate care and support of Jan and her family. In particular, the family is grateful to Joe Petricone, Jr. and his wife Deedee for their steadfast devotion in attending to Jan’s comfort over the years, and to Dr. Dan Gerardi for his professionalism and invaluable guidance throughout Jan’s final days.

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, October 30 at 3pm at the Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Road, Litchfield.  The family requests that in lieu of flowers, friends make a memorial contribution to the Oliver Wolcott Library, 160 South St., P.O. Box 187, Litchfield, CT 06759, or to the Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Road, Litchfield, CT 06759. 

Condolences may be sent to the Petricone family by visiting www.cookfuneralhomect.com

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