Janet B. ElRod

Janet ElRod crossed over and returned home to be with our Lord on April 14, 2014.Janet was born on December 14, 1942 and grew up in a small upstate New York community. She was the daughter of Raymond and Stella (Mikus) Cosens. She graduated from Sherburne High School in 1960.Janet worked for a year as a secretary for a public loan company, then attended airline and business school in Minneapolis, MN. She went directly to Washington D.C. and worked for the Department of the Army and was married in D.C. to Richard McClelland. Later divorced, they had 2 daughters, Theresa (Teri) and Kimberly (Kim). Moving back to Earlville, NY, Janet was able to stay home raising her daughters until they started school. This was the most wonderful time of her life. She loved being a mother and spending every moment watching her children grow. She loved being a part of their activities all through their school years.Janet worked for a life insurance company in Norfolk, VA while living there. When returning to the work force in NY, she was employed by Colgate University in Hamilton, NY in the library and athletic department as a secretary. She then moved to Oxford, NY and worked for a non-profit agency until finding her calling in the human service field with the handicapped adult population. In 1978, she and her daughters moved to Colorado where she married Willis (Cliff) ElRod and continued her career with her (little folks) for the next twenty plus years. She loved being a wife and mother, Cliff was wonderful to her and loved her girls as his own. She thought it would be terribly hard finding a good man but she found her angel in Cliff. She loved her life with her (little folks) but had to retire at age 55 because of severe problems with arthritis. Cliff stepped up to the plate and was her crutch, standing beside her throughout her many medical problems. She and Cliff had wonderful memories of their travels both in the US and internationally during yearly vacation trips. They enjoyed going to the movies or out dancing on weekend evenings at the clubs they were members of. She traveled back and forth to NY yearly to spend time with her mom and to attend class reunions.Janet loved animals (her babies) who shared her home throughout her life. She had several dogs, many cats, even a lamb named Drizzles and a turkey named Tom. She belonged to the Girl Scouts, 4-H, church choir and GAA during her school years. Later in life, she was a member of the Eagles, Elks and Moose Club. She volunteered at LUH and belonged to the Light of Christ Catholic Community.Her daughters gave her five grandchildren, Justin, Zachary, Kyle, Logan and Deserae who were so important in her life. They would take turn staying overnight on weekends when Cliff was out of town working. Grama had special activities planned so they would always have good memories of a grandparent that made time for them. To many children have no grandparents close by and family is so important. They spent time fishing, going to the circus or fairs, movies, swimming, riding the moped, riding to the mountains or other activities at the fairgrounds. Sometimes they just slept in and hung out for one on one with no other siblings around. These special times continued until arthritis limited activities for her and she couldn't physically keep up with the kids any longer. She tried to attend sports activities, school music concerts, birthdays and church programs that they were involved in just to enjoy their progress of growing up. From her grandchildren, she gained four great-grandsons, Cameron, Draven, Ozzy and Myles. Her life was full of love for her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandsons and of course her beloved pets. When she was able, she Christmas shopped for each child on the list, even the adults. No one went without a special present.Because of their blended family they had five children between them, twenty one grandchildren and four great-grandsons.Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond & Stella Cosens of Sherburne, NY and many aunts and uncles throughout the US.Janet is survived by her husband Cliff, daughter and son-in-law Theresa and Tom Jones of Loveland, daughter and son-in-law Kimberly McClelland and Gary Tollivoro of Loveland, stepson and wife Dustin and Kim Berry of Goodland, AZ, stepson and wife Eric and Lisa ElRod of Golden, CO and stepdaughter Shawnna Hornbuckle of Centennial, CO, one brother and wife Richard and Gerry Cosens of Sherburne, NY, one sister-in-law and brother-in-law Arlene and David Richmond of Commerce City, CO plus many nieces, nephews and cousins throughout the US.Memorial Service 10:30 AM, Saturday, April 26, 2014 at Light of Christ Ecumenical Catholic Community 1000 15th Ave. Longmont, CO 80501. Cremation entrusted to Ahlberg Funeral Chapel and Crematory. Memorial contributions can be made to the Longmont Humane Society in c/o Ahlberg Funeral Chapel. Visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com to share condolences.