Janet Orton

Janet Love Orton, age 93, passed away December 10, in Salt Lake City, Utah from causes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was born February 10, 1927, and was the oldest of four children to parents Steve Layne and June (Rigby) Love. As a child, she was always found with a bow in her hair, and loved eating ice cream at the Snelgrove ice cream store in Sugarhouse. She graduated from East High School.

Janet began her career at Fort Douglas as a typist at the Army Separation Center. It was there she met Joseph C. Orton following his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. They were married on August 22, 1947, in Salt Lake City. Together they had four children, Larry, Robert, James, and Sharron. After the birth of her three oldest children, she returned to school and graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She taught typing and business studies for more than 20 years at South High, and finished her long career at East High School.

The family remembers Janet as a caring, giving mother, grandmother, and friend. She and her husband Joe loved to travel to Las Vegas especially to see stage shows including ventriloquist, Terry Fator. She continued to travel there even after her husband’s passing to enjoy time with her daughter. Later in life, she went on a Caribbean cruise, which she described as the best vacation ever!

Among Janet’s many hobbies were reading, stitchery, poetry, catalog shopping, newspaper comics, and watching the Utah Jazz. Her favorite breakfast was Pop-Tarts. She was blessed with a great sense of humor and a contagious laugh. When she went to restaurants, Janet would often bring home not only the leftovers, but pats of butter and mints as well. She had a strong love for her family. Even as an adult, she had her daughter call to check in every week until recent years when Janet entered a memory care facility. She always made sure her grandchildren knew they were loved. She attended many of their recitals, concerts, weddings, baby blessings, and other significant events in their lives. She was also a loyal, dedicated friend and enjoyed having lunch with her long-time friends. Janet loved celebrating every holiday and had different décor and cardigans for each one of them. She loved Christmas. It was always a wonderful celebration that started with a family crab dinner the week before, fried oysters and pancakes for breakfast the morning of, and stockings stuffed toe to top. Her favorite movie was National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. For many years, she spent Thanksgivings in California with her daughter so she could avoid cooking the turkey!

Janet is survived by her three children, Larry (Meredith) Orton, James (Janette) Orton, Sharron (Randy) Parker, 7 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, and her siblings, Steve (Colleen) Love, and Luauna (Vern) Brazell. She was preceded in death by her husband Joe, her son Robert, and her brother David Love.

Janet was one of the kindest, loving women you would ever meet and had a lasting influence on many. She treated everyone with the utmost respect. She is already deeply missed.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, graveside services will be held on December 22, 2020, at Wasatch Lawn Memorial and Mortuary for immediate family.