Janet Marie Karnes

Janet Marie Karnes (August 18, 1955-July 19, 2020)

Janet Karnes died July 19, 2020 in Manitou Springs from cancer. Janet was born on August 18, 1955 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Charles and Rosemary Karnes and was the middle child of five children. She married Michael Maio on June 26, 1977 and together they raised their great nephew, Taylor Houze. Janet earned a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati and her Doctorate from the Union Institute and University in Social Work Administration. Janet is survived by her husband, her two brothers, Mel Karnes and Charles Karnes, her two sisters, Mary Stapleton and Peggy Fallwind, and many nephews and nieces.

Throughout her life, Janet had lived in several places with Michael, but eventually settled in Manitou Springs in January 2005. She was a highly acclaimed activist in her profession of social work and knew how to successfully organize a cause and develop social programs that helped countless number of people. Early in her career, Janet founded Children Are Renters Too (CART), a children’s advocacy group in Cincinnati. The organization proposed legislation protecting families with children from landlord discrimination. After Cincinnati City Council failed a proposed ordinance by a narrow margin, Janet and CART took the battle to the U.S. Congress, which passed an amendment to the Fair Housing Act in 1985 providing protections to children.

Having succeeded with one cause, Janet then addressed the issue of parenting and pregnant teenagers by founding another advocacy group, Services To Area Youth (STAY), which later changed its name to Pathways To Home. At the time of its founding in 1989, many school systems in the Cincinnati area were experiencing high dropout rates due to pregnancy. The organization served several school districts and provided support groups and programs designed to help school-aged girls graduate high school. The agency’s home visitors have completed approximately 60,000 home visits since becoming a lead agency provider of Every Child Succeeds, a partnership forged through Janet’s efforts. Due to her many accomplishments with the organization, Janet had earned a national honor as the Betty Crocker Top Volunteer of America in 1998.

After moving to Manitou Springs, Janet was involved with yet another advocacy group, Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention. Under her leadership, the organization became a model for other suicide prevention programs around the country. The organization provides a wide array of suicide prevention programs to individuals, schools, military, and employers, including individual therapy, a teen suicide prevention board, the Jeffrey and Kevin Graham Support Services and a Surviving the Storm Grief Group. Among several awards received in her field, Janet was most proud of her work with the El Paso County, Colorado Youth Suicide Prevention Work Group.

Those of us who knew Janet and those whose lives she has touched (many not even knowing they benefit today from her vision of the past) have suffered an enormous loss. In searching for a way to appropriately acknowledge her contributions to this community, we use her words to guide us:

The time has come for me to go. I have no fear. I am a strong believer in reincarnation and believe we have lived many, many lives. For those I helped in some way as a social worker, know that it has been my honor to walk the path with you. Flowers, memorials? Plant a flower or conduct an act of kindness for someone.

Donations to Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention 704 N. Tejon Street Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903; 719-573-7447 or Pathways To Home 9141 Kilby Road Harrison, Ohio 45030; 513-367-1441.