Janice DeLaquil Buchko

Janice was preceded in death by her mother, Virginia (Ginny) DeLaquil and father, Pascal DeLaquil, Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Allison (Jon) Edgar; her two grandchildren, Bryson (16) and Jenna (16); her stepmother, Alice DeLaquil; and her seven siblings: Pascal (Sheila) DeLaquil, Mark (Diane) DeLaquil, Gary DeLaquil, Donald (Carole) DeLaquil, David DeLaquil, Joyce (Joe) Asfour and Jill (Jeff) Kyle.

Janice was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the McKees Rocks area (a Pittsburgh suburb). Janice grew up in a large Italian family -- seven siblings, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Despite the geographic distance between them at certain times, Janice remained close with all of her siblings and their significant others, her nieces and nephews, and her cousins, throughout her entire life – and loved them immensely.

Janice attended Montour High School in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. Following high school, she attended Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, before she moved to Virginia. Janice initially worked for Commonwealth Blinds in Fairfax, Virginia. After studying accountancy at Northern Virginia Community College, Janice spent most of her working career as an office manager and controller for civil engineering and surveying firms (Bowers & Associates, Vollmer Associates, Stantec Consulting, and Meade Gunnell Engineering & Surveying). Before she retired in 2018, Janice spent several years working in different administrative divisions of the Orange County local government in California.

Janice met Mike Buchko in 1975, and they were married on May 25, 1976. Janice and Mike welcomed their daughter, Allison, on November 17, 1976. Mike, Janice and Allison lived in Leesburg, Virginia. Janice and Mike raised a strong-willed, successful daughter who excelled in school and sports, and loved to ride horses. They spent weekends at their house in Solomons Island, Maryland, where they loved spending time on the water. Mike and Janice often visited Allison in Charlottesville, Virginia for football games, brunches at Boar’s Head Resort, and any other reason they could think of, when she was in college and law school at the University of Virginia.

Janice was passionate about many things during her incredibly rich life. First and foremost, Janice loved her family immensely. Janice loved both of her parents dearly. Janice loved spending time with all of her siblings, and after moving to Largo, Florida in 2018, was able to spend a lot of quality time with her sister and two brothers who live in the area, as well as their children when they visited. Family functions would, of course, include lots of traditional Italian family meals with recipes handed down by generation: spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli dinners, spinach pies and omelet (for Easter), and the Christmas Eve seven fish dinner, were all a cause for celebration with family.

Janice loved her daughter, Allison, very much and moved to North Carolina in 2008 to help raise Allison’s boy-girl twins, Bryson and Jenna. Janice moved to Southern California in 2012, to be closer to Allison, Jon and the twins, who had relocated there for work in late 2011. Janice spent more than six years in California helping to raise the twins, who she absolutely adored. Janice was at almost every soccer game, baseball game, basketball game and horse show, and never missed a singing performance by Jenna.

Janice also spent considerable time with extended family in Pittsburgh (and beyond), attending family Christmas parties, summer Spada picnics, cookie bakes for weddings, and even “Spada Girls Gone Wild.” Janice remained close with all of her cousins, nieces, and nephews – and attended most, if not all, of their weddings.

Janice was also an incredible parent to several “fur children” over the years and loved animals. Her cats over the years – Kitty, Sasha, Ebony, Ivory, Thomas, Bogie, Snowball, and Dash – as well as her bunny rabbit, Hope, all benefited from Janice’s love and care (but were, perhaps, given too much love with respect to food at times). She was also active in helping to control feral cat populations and help cats get adopted – both when she lived in California and in Florida.

Janice was a lover of live music. She attended countless live much shows with many friends and family over the years (in Virginia, North Carolina, California, Florida, and beyond). She took both of her grandchildren to their first live concerts, and recently, she was able to attend a Cold Play concert at the Rose Bowl in California, for her birthday in Los Angeles with her granddaughter, Jenna.

Janice was the life of the party. She made friends wherever she went, and she was a strong, loyal friend who was always there to help. Many were lucky to call her their friend. Since 2019, Janice lived in a 55+ community known as Paradise Island in Largo, Florida. There, she made countless friends and truly enjoyed her community: playing darts, learning and then teaching water aerobics, spending time with the Red Hat ladies, and participating on other community committees. Janice was truly happy and at peace in her home.

Janice will be remembered as someone who loved her family and friends with everything that she had; an intelligent and caring mother, grandmother, sister, daughter; a strong, loyal friend; and a fun-loving person who always brought the party with her.

A viewing is scheduled for Friday, June 14, 2024 at 7:00pm at Serenity Funeral Home, 13401 Indian Rocks Road, Largo. A funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, June 15, 2024, at 1:30pm. A small reception for family will follow the funeral service at Serenity Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her honor to Friends of Strays Animal Shelter (www.friendsofstrays.org).