Obituary: Janice Marie (Christen) Terracciano, 69, of FL

Janice Marie (Christen) Terracciano passed away the evening of July 3, 2025 at Suncoast Hospice Care Center in Palm Harbor, FL after a two-week battle with pancreatic cancer.

Janice was born on April 20, 1956 to Werner F. and Nora A. (Downey) Christen at Fort Atkinson Hospital. Her sisters, Marcia, Joanne, and Linda were at home in Whitewater to welcome her.

She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Whitewater High School. Janice became a creative culinary chef and sous chef while working at several Lake Geneva restaurants including Red Geranium and Geneva Inn.

Jan loved visiting Florida and eventually became a permanent resident. On June 28, 1999, she married James Terracciano on a sandy beach near Treasure Island, FL.

They resided in the Clearwater & Spring Hill area all their married life until Jim’s illness in late 2023. They briefly lived in the Catskill, New York area until Jim’s passing in 2024. They loved their Boston terriers and enjoyed 25 years of Florida sunsets, boating, kayaking, and visiting casinos together.

Janice continued her culinary skills at many beach resorts and restaurants. She loved gardening around their home and cooking late dinners for Jim while enjoying a good wine.

Janice is survived by her daughter, Nicole Garfield (JD) of Louisville, KY, and her three sisters, Marcia Petak (Ronald) of Fond du Lac, WI, Joanne Christen of Elkhorn, WI, and Linda Malvitz (Dale) of Elkhorn, WI. She is also survived by six nieces and nephews all in Wisconsin. She is further survived by her in-laws, the Terracciano family of upstate New York.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, on September 18, 2024, her parents Werner and Nora Christen, her infant sister, Karen, and her grandparents.

Private arrangements are pending in Florida.
Cremation has taken place.

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