Janet Elizabeth CONOVER

1927 - 2020

JANET ELIZABETH CONOVER (Grant) July 20, 1927 - September 6, 2020 Heaven has a new angel and she's from New York City. Janet Conover passed peacefully away on September 6, 2020 at her home at The Dunfield Residence, and began organizing in heaven immediately. Born in Bayside, Queens, New York, Janet was the daughter of Charles Grant (a composer and arranger for Irving Berlin) and Martha Grant, a nurse. She is predeceased by her sister, Carol Grant (a watercolorist in The American Museum of Watercolors). On Janet's mother's side was Norwegian blood and she showed a tough, adventurous nature. It was her Viking side. Her father died of a heart attack when she was only 10 years old and she had to help take care of her younger sister. Janet went to Bayside High, and graduated from NYU in Marketing. Her first job was as a copywriter for Vogue magazine. It didn't pay - but boy was it glamorous. Fulfilling her Viking nature to explore, she took a cruise to Europe at age 27 on the Andrea Doria, where she met a young Canadian, Hugh Conover on board. Romance ensued and they travelled Europe together. Janet married her soulmate, Hugh in 1954. They had 3 children, Steve (Joanie d. 2010) (Diana), Scott (Karen) and Lisa. Then she went back to work. She restarted her work life first as a volunteer on the AGO Junior Women's Committee. While at the Ago, she and Barbara Clarke organized the first- ever fund raising lottery for the gallery. Her first paying gig was as manager for Jack Pollack's art gallery in the TD Centre. Then came her true calling - PR. She joined Arts and Communications, the first public relations company in Canada to pair corporations with arts groups. During her 35-year career with ACC she helped bring the King Tut exhibit to Canada, introduced the country to Maud Lewis and escorted the likes of Paloma Picasso and Henry Kissinger around Toronto. She never really hung up her PR boots and was still helping clients into her 90's. Janet had 10 wonderful grandchildren who she adored (and they adored her right back) Shem, Samantha, Elisha, Stephanie, Nate, Evan, Grant, Jesse, Hannah and Jason. And 4 great-grans - Iylah, Iyabo, Irie and Isis-Imani. Her lovely Hugh died in 2017 and she missed him terribly. We are comforted they are now reunited. We plan to hold a Celebration of Life in the Spring.