Janet Greenawalt-Capitan, dedicated community volunteer
Janet Greenawalt-Capitan passed away peacefully Christmas morning Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022, surrounded by her loving family after losing her battle with bone cancer. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends, and will be remembered by those who knew her as a kind, caring, helpful and loving wife, mother, Nana and friend.
She was born Janet Rice in 1937 in Lebanon, Pa. Her parents were Miriam and George Rice. Janet attended Lebanon High School, where she met her high school sweetheart and future husband, Robert (Bob) Greenawalt. They were married on Christmas Eve in 1957 and were married for 55 years. Janet worked full time while raising her two children, Kathy and Rob, first as a shipping clerk for a trucking company in Lebanon, then as a legal secretary for a small law firm in Quakertown, Pa. However, it was her employment as a human resources assistant for the Riegel Paper Mill in Milford, N.J., which she found the most rewarding, a career position that spanned nearly 20 years. Janet loved interacting with the mill employees and assisting them however possible, many of whom remained lifelong friends. After retiring from the paper mill at age 62, she and Bob moved to Lewes, to be closer to her daughter Kathy’s family. She found great joy in her role as Nana, and attended countless sporting events for Cape to cheer for her grandchildren’s teams regardless of the weather conditions!
If you knew Janet, you couldn’t help but feel comfortable around her. She had a quick smile, a fun personality and a warm heart. She was a genuinely positive person and rarely spoke negatively about anyone or anything. Janet always cared about looking her best when in public. She loved clothes shopping and had the full closets to prove it.
After her retirement, Janet became extremely active as a community volunteer. She and Bob delivered Meals on Wheels for over 15 years, as well as worked many years at Cape Henlopen Food Basket. One of Janet’s greatest joys in serving the community was as a volunteer at New Life Thrift Shop as a cashier. Janet was an active member of the Epworth United Methodist Church, where she was treasurer of the United Methodist Women’s Group for many years. She had a strong faith in God and was most certainly welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven on Christ’s birthday.
After Bob passed away in 2012, Janet continued with her active lifestyle, which included gardening, daily early morning walks with her “walker friends” of Gosling Creek, weekly Zumba classes at the gym, as well as line dancing. She forged close friendships easily, enjoyed socializing, attending holiday parties and playing Bunko. Janet also loved to travel and go on cruises to different parts of the world. Her destinations included Alaska, Ireland, Italy, the Caribbean, Israel and South America. For most of her adult life, she enjoyed summer vacations in Cape Hatteras, N.C., with Bob, her children and her grandchildren. She also made annual trips to the West Coast, to visit her son Rob and his wife Annie. Janet loved the beach and the water. She often went to Rehoboth to sit by the ocean and walk on the boardwalk.
Several years ago, Janet was fortunate to find love again when she met and married Paul Capitan in 2019. Janet and Paul lived together in Milton until she passed away. They were a wonderfully happy couple during the few years they had together.
Janet is survived by her husband, Paul; her two children, Kathy Shook (Bill) and Rob Greenawalt (Annie); her grandchildren, Lindsey Geyer (Eddie) and Mike Shook (Clarissa); and her two young great-grandchildren, Edmund Geyer V and Laird Shook.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Feb. 17, at Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth, with visitation starting at 10 a.m. A reception will follow at a nearby location.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
