Janet R. Miller

Janet Renee Miller (Andersen) was born on October 12, 1963 in Spearfish, South Dakota, the youngest of three children to Dr. Roger and Charlotte Andersen. She grew up in Lead, South Dakota alongside her older siblings, Stephen (born 1957) and Diane (born 1960). Janet graduated from Lead High School in 1982 as the class valedictorian. She was active in band and choir, and was elected Homecoming Queen by her classmates. She went on to attend college at the University of Wyoming and then Arizona State University, where she earned a B.S. in Personnel Management. Janet married and had two children, Christopher Steven, June 9th, 1985 and Stacy Lei, January 16th, 1988. In 1991, she reunited with her high school best friend and soulmate, David Paul Miller. They wed in a beautiful ceremony in Poudre Canyon, Colorado on April 24th, 1993. Their family grew with the birth of Lauren Ann on July 16th, 1996. They became mother and father-in-law to Andrew Robert Friedrich (Stacy) on June 15th, 2017, and Jedeo Manirikumwenatwe (Lauren) on May 31st, 2020. Janet and David made their home with their family in Fort Collins, Colorado where she worked in Human Resources for several companies until joining the City of Fort Collins in 2003. She advanced with the City, eventually becoming the Director of Human Resources in 2006. Janet was compelled to join the Poudre Fire Authority in 2019 after the family home burned down in 2011. Janet believed strongly in the PFA mission and wanted to work with the people who had made such a difference in her life. She was passionate about her new role with PFA and believed in helping others. After the fire in 2011, Janet and David found their dream home in Wellington, Colorado where they built a life full of love, hard work, and hospitality, welcoming many friends and family into their home. The new home gave Janet the chance to pursue one of her great passions, horses. Janet loved animals of all kinds, and was regarded by her family as having a special gift for connecting with animals, especially those with troubled backgrounds. Janet and Dave became proud grandparents, affectionately known as “Gaga” (Janet) and “Bapa” (Dave), to Lauren and Jedeo’s first child, Adaline (Manirikumwenatwe), born March 27th 2022. Janet was joyfully anticipating the arrival of her second grandchild, expected March 7th, 2025, and she made Dave promise to teach both grandchildren how to ski. Throughout her life, Janet excelled at everything on which she put her talents to bear, but she will be remembered most for her vibrant spirit and the way she lit up every room she entered. Her radiant smile, contagious positivity, kindness, resilience, sense of humor, and most of all her hugs, left lasting impressions on all who knew her. Janet was known for building strong bonds with the people she cared about, and for touching the lives of so many. Janet was an adventurer at heart: a black diamond skier, scuba diver, traveler, animal lover and rescuer. She was a woman of faith, fearless and full of life, always making friends wherever she went. Janet passed away peacefully at her home on January 23, 2025. She was surrounded by family and pets. Her final words were, “I love you.” Survivors include her husband, David, Wellington, Colorado; two daughters, Stacy (Andrew) Miller, Seattle, Washington, and Lauren (Jedeo) Miller, Wellington, Colorado; granddaughter, Adaline (Lauren and Jedeo) Manirikumwenatwe, Wellington Colorado; her son, Christopher Wilcox, Arvada, Colorado; her sister, Diane Kalsow, Denver, Colorado; two nephews, Tyler Kalsow, Craig, Colorado; and Derek Kalsow, Denver, Colorado; her mother-in-law, Doris Ward, Rapid City, South Dakota, and a brother-in-law, Michael Miller, Olympia, Washington. She was preceded in death by her brother Stephen Andersen, her parents, Roger and Charlotte Andersen, her grandparents, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and her father-in-law, Jack Ward. Janet’s life was a testament of love, strength, and the joy of adventure. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all who were lucky enough to know her Janet's Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m., January 31, 2025 at City Light Church, 833 S Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521