Janet Julia Fritz, 81, of Fort Collins peacefully passed away on August 23, 2023 with her family and dear friends beside her. She was born and raised in Boulder, the daughter of Percy and Marie Fritz. She received her B.A. in Psychology at the University of Colorado. She earned her Master’s Degree (1966) in Child Development at Cornell University. After which, she worked for two years on a NIH research project at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the Pediatrics Unit and at the Massachusetts General Hospital. When the project ended, she returned to Colorado beginning her career at Colorado State University in the then Child Development program. In 1974 she returned to Cornell completing her PH.D. in 1977 with an emphasis in Cognitive Development and Psycholinguistics. Coming back to her position at CSU, she built an exemplary career over the next 34 years as a faculty member in what became the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) with the College of Health and Human Sciences.
Janet was an exceptional professor and advisor for both undergraduate and graduate students, considering that a major highlight of her career at CSU. Another highlight was developing the Child Life Specialist program preparing HDFS students to work with the psychosocial issues of hospitalized children. These graduates are now placed in recognized hospitals throughout the country. Her research focused in the areas of risk and resilience, as well as early prevention and intervention programming for children. In addition to these involvements, Janet was a member of the Faculty Women’s Caucus and the Women’s Studies Board and a member of CSU’s Faculty Council. She served as the second Faculty Council Chair and was the first woman to hold this position. Because of her work related to women’s issues and mentoring at CSU, she received the Margaret Hazalelus Award in 2002. She also received the Applied Human Sciences Service Award and in 1996, the prestigious Oliver Pennock Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service to her department, college and the university.
Janet’s interests in travel and cross-cultural learning experiences took her to many places throughout the world. In 1994-1995 she obtained a Visiting Scholar’s appointment at the University of Cambridge in England. She twice participated in a Fulbright Study Grant for six weeks in India, studied child rearing practices on an Israeli kibbutz and the West Bank. While in Russia she attended a work session with American and Soviet psychologists. In Kenya , she participated in a field project focusing on resiliency in AIDS orphans. Janet was an energetic and devoted traveler both within the US and throughout the world. Promoting healthy development in children, diversity, multiculturalism, and women’s rights were major themes in both her professional and personal lives. Traveling throughout England was especially dear to her heart.
Janet had several strong interests and commitments . Animals, and most especially dogs, were a special lifetime passion. After completing training with her golden retriever through HABIC (Human – Animal Bond in Colorado), they worked together in pet therapy with school children having emotional and behavioral issues. Later, Janet served as a board member for that organization. Another strong commitment was with the League of Women Voters, where she served as a volunteer registering voters, an International Affairs team member, and a board member. This was one of the ways she helped foster her concerns for greater social justice.
Retirement did not slow Janet down. She taught and took classes with Front Range Forum, took her piano lessons seriously, read voraciously and traveled both nationally and internationally. She had more time to enjoy family, her dogs, the theater, concerts, book groups, and mornings with her aerobics class and followed by its coffee group. She loved being with friends, as she said, “celebrating any tiny event we can think of and keep each other laughing”. Janet valued her friends and they valued her. She will be missed.
Janet is survived by her sister-in-law, Ellie Fritz of Clifton, CO; nephew, Steven (Jan) Edwards of Billings, MT; and three nieces, Donna (Gary) Scarrow of Colbran, CO; niece, Linda (Jim) Chando of Tallahassee, FL; niece, Pam (Michael) Bates of Aurora, CO.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Martha Ann (Bryan) Edwards; brother, Don Fritz; and nephew, Bruce Edwards.
A memorial service for Janet will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, September, 28, 2023. Services will take place at Allnutt Funeral Home – Drake Road Chapel, 650 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins. Reception to follow.
If you would like to join us in celebrating Janet’s incredible life and legacy, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the Janet J. Fritz Scholarship in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State University. Janet established this fund during her lifetime. The purpose of the Janet J. Fritz Scholarship is to provide scholarship awards to incoming freshmen enrolled in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies to help support them financially in their first year of college.
Memorial gifts to the Janet J. Fritz Scholarship can be made by check payable to the CSU Foundation and sent to P.O. Box 1870, Fort Collins, CO 80522. Please include “Fund #58333 & In Memory of Janet Fritz” on the memo line. Memorial gifts can also be made securely online by visiting the following website https://advancing.colostate.edu/JANETFRITZ Please use the “Include Tribute” section to indicate this gift is in memory of Janet.
