Janet Worth Kavitski

Janet Worth Kavitski of Palm Harbor, Florida entered eternal rest on June 15, 2025, joining her beloved husband of many years, Thomas Kavitski. Janet was ninety-five years old and enjoyed a long and happy life with Tom and family. She is survived by her cousin, Margaret Strudell Shaw of St. Louis, Missouri and her first cousin (once removed), William Cosgrove of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Janet was born in St. Louis to Worth and Anna Sheppard McCown on June 6, 1930. Her life revolved around her parents and grandparents, Fred and Emma Sheppard, who emigrated to the US from Canada and resided on Flora Place in St. Louis for many years. Her sister, Marjorie, preceded her in death.

Janet always said she was a “Daddy’s Girl”, and she was proud of his service as an ambulance driver for the US Army’s 35th Infantry Division in World War I. She donated his amazing diary of his experience in the Meuse-Argonne battle to the National WWI Museum in Kansas City in 2018. She talked fondly of their trips out west by car in the 1930s, particularly to Yellowstone National Park. She loved her pet dogs and she always had a name for the car she owned, the last being “Lizzie” which she drove until she was almost ninety years old. She was a fan of the old St. Louis Browns, and she remembered skipping school to watch them play the cross-town St. Louis Cardinals in the 1944 World Series.

She met Tom while working as a civilian for the US Army in St. Louis; and, they retired to Florida in 1980, building a house in Palm Harbor. They had a small pool, and they enjoyed frequent get togethers with her cousins, Barbara Cosgrove and Lorraine Dunn. After the passing of Barbara, Janet served as a surrogate mom for Bill Cosgrove and his wife Debbie, as well as their children Katie, Cary and Kimi. She was a frequent visitor to their home in Athens, Georgia and she loved going to their mountain house in Sky Valley.

Later, Janet became a fan of the Georgia Bulldogs (except when they played the Missouri Tigers) and Mississippi State Bulldogs, attending games in Athens and Starkville. She traveled widely with her best friend from childhood, Millie, and even ventured as far as New Zealand and Australia. One of her favorite trips was with her family on a ship along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Canadian Maritimes at age eighty-seven! When she moved to St. Mark Village, she met new friends and she was keen to keep an eye out for new residents who needed a word of encouragement.

By Janet’s own admission she could be a bit cranky, but that was just her independent personality that we all appreciated. She was “sharp as a tack” until the very end of her life when the years caught up with her. Janet, as well as her family, was grateful for the support and attention of two staff members at St. Mark Village – Rae and Jessica.

The interment will take place on July 7, 2025 at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park with a family graveside service. Donations in Janet’s honor may be made to St. Mark Village.

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