Janus, Albina Katilius

We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Albina Janus, our beloved mother, grandmother and mother-inlaw. She passed away on March 20, 2024 at the remarkable age of 101. She had been a resident at Mclean in Simsbury since July 2023 after having lived in Avon for nearly 40 years. Albina was born in Marijampole, Lithuania and later lived in Vilnius, Lithuania where she graduated from the University of Vilnius. As a young woman she was a professional actress in Vilnius appearing in numerous theater productions. She experienced the horrors and hardships of World War II, including enduring the occupation of Lithuania by German and Russian troops, suffering from the shortages of food and other day to day necessities, and losing numerous friends as wartime casualties. Albina fled Lithuania near the end of the war, traveling through Poland, Austria and Switzerland before ending her journey in Italy. She lived in Italy for a little more than 5 years, giving birth to her son Peter in Monza. While residing in Italy Albina continued her acting career in Rome by appearing in small roles in Italian films. In late 1950 she was able to immigrate to the United States and came to Hartford, Connecticut. Upon her arrival she spoke only Lithuanian and Italian. She and her son embarked on a crash course to learn English by frequenting movie theaters and listening to the radio whenever possible. Her first employment was at a factory assembling electrical parts. Soon afterwards she began employment at Heublein, Inc. in a clerical job. From that position she advanced into the then newly developing computer field as a programmer and systems analyst. She capped her 35+ years career at Heublein by serving as the Corporate Manager of Human Resource Information Systems. Albina was a fearless and unstoppable individual never running out of energy or joy for life. While working full-time and raising her son she enrolled at the University of Hartford where she received a second undergraduate degree followed by a M.B.A. She continued her love of the theater by joining the Mark Twain Masquers, an amateur theater group in Hartford, and appearing in several of their productions. She loved to travel and visited countries throughout Europe and Asia, including Japan, China, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Following her retirement from Heublein in 1989 she volunteered to serve with the International Executive Service Corps as a business consultant. She received two assignments, both of which returned her to Lithuania to assist companies with computerizing their business systems and implementing an integrated accounting system. These projects also allowed her to visit at length with family and friends whom she had not seen since fleeing Lithuania at the end of W.W.II. Albina was extremely devoted to her family - her son, Peter Janus and his wife, Nancy, of Avon, CT; her granddaughter, Tessa Mcnair of Louisville, KY; and her grandson, Timothy Janus of Avon, soon to be living in Mexico City, Mexico. Her generosity and love for them was boundless. She will be sorely missed and forever remembered as a quiet and private woman with amazing inner strength. At the family's choosing Albina's ashes will be dispersed in a burial at sea in Dunedin, Florida in a private family ceremony. To leave a condolence for her family, please visit, www.carmonfuneralhome.com