Janis Lee Osborne

Port Jervis, NY

Janis Lee (nee Curry) Osborne, of Port Jervis, New York, died on March 1, 2008 at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York of complications from diabetes, congestive heart failure and leukemia. She was sixty four. She was born at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut April 17, 1943, but was a resident of Port Jervis for most of her life. She was the daughter of John Curry and Zita Codichini Curry Innella, and the granddaughter of Ercole and Rose Codichini and Ted and Bernice Curry. She was the stepdaughter of Sam Innella. Her husband was Peter Osborne, executive director of the Minisink Valley Historical Society. They were married Dec. 24, 1994, in the Iris Inn at High Point State Park. Earlier in life, she was married to William G. McCann. The marriage ended in divorce. For many years, she was an editor and writer for The Union Gazette, The Tri-State Gazette and The Gazette (all the same newspaper) in Port Jervis and wrote a popular column that chronicled her life and times. She won several awards from her peers for her writing. She was the author of a book of her favorite newspaper columns written over twenty years, "Put The Dog On The Phone: The Collected Newspaper Columns of Janis Osborne."

She was also instrumental in the restoration of the Port Jervis Erie Depot with her husband, having served as one of the chairmen of the Depot Preservation Society. The restoration project was started by the two of them. She was a member of the Port Jervis Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Port Jervis Centennial Committee, Friends of the Port Jervis Library and a monthly Book Discussion Group at the library. She was a member of the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Sussex County in Newton. Mrs. Osborne loved to read. Her favorite authors were Anne Morrow Lindbergh, P.D. James, Naio Marsh, Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. She loved the music and lyrics of John Denver's songs. She was an avid thrift store shopper and traveled extensively with her husband who shared her love for adventure. She also loved to do the Sunday New York Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle and often completed it without the aid of a dictionary.

She is survived by her beloved husband who was her hero and best friend. She is also survived by three beloved children and their spouses: Thomas and Gina McCann of Port Jervis; Michael and Melissa McCann of Port Jervis; and Megan McCann and her husband, David Earl, of Plano, TX; and a stepson, Ryan Osborne of Goshen; her grandchildren include: Cassie, Ryan, Nicole, Joshua and Cody McCann, children of Michael; Natasha and her husband, Robert Gurliacci; Bradley, Brittany, Liam and Robert Bauer, children of Thomas and Jacob Scott and Lucas and Zoe Earl, children of Megan; a great-grandson, Dominick Gurliacci and great-granddaughter, Bryanna McCann. She is also survived by a half brother, Michael Innella of Port Jervis and his wife, Charlene; two sister-in-laws and brothers-in-law, Beth and Gary Stenftennagel, of North Haledon, NJ, and Mary and Steve Schwake of Hewett, NJ; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her mother, Zita Innella; her step father, aunt, Anita McCoy, cousins, Joseph and John Codichini; and her beloved cats Tilly and Elspeth.

Mrs. Osborne's family will receive friends and relatives at Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis on Thursday, March 6, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

A celebration of her life will be held at the First Presbyterian Church on Broome St., in Port Jervis, NY on Saturday, March 8, at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Mary Tiebout and the Rev. Stephen Houston will officiate. Mrs. Osborne's ashes will be commingled with her husband's when he dies and be scattered on the Appalachian Trail in Stokes State Forest and at Cape May, NJ

Memorial contributions may be made to the Port Jervis Free Library for books and toys for the children's room in honor of Mrs. Osborne's grandchildren or to the Port Jervis Salvation Army Needy Fund.

Arrangements are by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis, NY. For directions, information or to send a condolence note to the family please visit knight-auchmoody.com or 845-856-3312