Janet Lue (Fischer) DeMaranville, 88, died peacefully in the early morning hours of January 4, 2024 at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, which she has called home for the last eight and a half years.
She was born in Kansas City, Kansas on February 6, 1935, the second of two daughters to Cleo and Charles Fischer. She grew up in the Quindaro neighborhood of KCK and fully enjoyed the perks that the Kansas City Metro area offered. She was raised in a family that loved music and for many years in her youth she would take the trolley car over to KCMO for weekly piano lessons. Her vocal skills were honed at Wyandotte High School where she was a member of an a cappella choir and glee club. She performed in many variety programs.
She met the love of her life, Al DeMaranville, on the steps of Kansas City Kansas Junior College. They enjoyed dancing to the tunes of the big bands at the Pla-Mor Ballroom in midtown Kansas City. Drawn to Al’s good looks, strong work ethic, and generous spirit this city girl married her country boy on August 21, 1955. This began a marriage that lasted 63 years.
After the birth of their two daughters, Joy and Susan, in 1956 and 1957, they took to dancing in the living room to the tunes of Lawrence Welk, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett. Their family was completed by the birth of their son, Al, in 1965. All three of Janet’s children learned piano and played various other instruments. It was a creative household with “Big Al” overseeing a multitude of projects in the “maker space” of the basement and Janet encouraging her children in arts and crafts, sewing, and cooking. Every summer their family would vacation in the west mostly exploring the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming or visiting Janet’s sister, Barbara and her family in Missoula, MT.
Later, her creative and musical talents were channeled into teaching private voice and piano lessons and she eventually taught pre-school in the KC area for over 25 years.
Janet and Al fully embraced their role as grandparents and enjoyed having their Kansas grandchildren over for many a weekend. Janet would get down on the floor, just as she did teaching pre-school, and spend hours playing blocks, reading books, and doing puzzles. As the kids got older, she taught them how to make her “famous” pecan brittle and chocolate fudge. She and Al also would travel to Seattle to visit grandsons, Kaiser and Coen, and take in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
In 2015, Janet and Al moved from their KCK home of 53 years to Lawrence Presbyterian Manor to be close to their family. Al passed away in 2018. Over the last five years, Janet has continued her creative pursuits by singing and playing piano for the other residents on her floor as well as using her drawing skills to design ballgowns and other women’s apparel. Her loving spirit has made her many friends at the Manor.
Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Albia Arron DeMaranville, Jr.; parents, Charles and Cleo Fischer; grandson, Aaron Calovich; and son-in-law, Gary Frager.
She is survived by her sister, Barbara White (Bob) of Missoula, MT, and her three children, Joy DeMaranville (Frank Norman); Susan Frager and Al DeMaranville III of Lawrence, KS. Janet was an especially loving grandmother and is survived by five grandchildren: Paul Calovich, Chesha Frager, Thomas Frager, Kaiser DeMaranville, and Coen DeMaranville and two great-grandchildren: Zada Calovich and Mazzy Calovich.
The family would like to thank Visiting Nurses Hospice and especially the staff of Presbyterian Manor for the excellent care and kindness they have shown Janet over the last eight and a half years.
Janet’s memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 13 at 2 pm at the chapel in Presbyterian Manor, 1429 Kasold Drive, with a reception immediately following.
Memories and condolences for the family may be left at rumsey-yost.com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Lawrence Children’s Choir by mail to Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana, Lawrence, KS 66044.
