Tuesday, May 9, 2023 | 10:30 AM
Janet Catherine (Gossman) Konezny passed away peacefully at Friendship Village in Bloomington, Minnesota on April 18, 2023. She was six days shy of her 90th birthday.
Janet was born on April 24, 1933 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Lee and Lucille (Hanlon) Gossman. She grew up in Minneapolis with her two brothers, David and Dennis, and was only 15 years old when her father passed away. Janet graduated from the Academy of the Holy Angels in 1951, then attended Minnesota Business College and the Estelle Compton Modeling School.
In 1958, Janet was hired as a Stewardess with Northwest Orient Airlines. It was a glamorous and prestigious position during the Golden Age of air travel. She flew for three years, excelled at the job, embraced the opportunity to travel, and glowingly reminisced about her experiences. She made lifelong friends and was active in the leadership of the Northwest Orient Airlines Ex-Stewardess Association for many years.
On April 22, 1961, Janet married the love of her life, Roman (Ray) Konieczny. The couple raised three sons, John, Ronald, and Gregory, in Edina. She was a supportive spouse to Ray and a devoted mother to the boys. She was a constant presence at their sporting events, cherished weekend trips to their cabin on Woman Lake and adored the family dog, Razzle. She told everyone she met incredibly detailed stories about her sons and their families.
After raising their three sons, Janet worked as an Office Manager for Hennepin County's Children & Family Services at Sabathani Community Center for over 10 years. She was also a tour guide for Leimandt Convention & Tours and a top salesperson for Holiday Clubs International and Minnesota Rusco.
Janet was a devout Catholic and had an unwavering faith in God. She was also very proud of her Irish heritage. Janet was passionate about the visual arts, traveling, and meeting new people. She enjoyed walking in Bredeson Park, joining friends for coffee at Jerry's Foods, and hearing other people's stories. Her six grandchildren brought her incredible joy and she was enthusiastic about supporting them and attending their events.
Janet is survived by her sons, John of St. Louis Park, Ronald (Jeryn) of Deephaven, and Gregory (Susan) of Edina; and her six grandchildren, Adelaide, Emma and Hannah Konezny, and Chase, Roman and Stuart Konezny. Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Roman (Ray) Konezny; her parents, Lee Gossman and Lucille (Hanlon) Rock; and her brothers, David and Dennis Gossman.
Mass of Christian Burial, Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 5071 Eden Ave. Edina. Visitation on Monday May 8, 2023 from 4 to 7 PM at Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel, and prior to Mass. Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Catholic Charities in Janet's honor.