Obituary of Janice Evelyn Colatruglio

Peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, Janice (Jan) Colatruglio passed away after a dignified and courageous battle with cancer at St. Boniface hospital at the age of 64. Left to cherish her memory are her husband Giuseppe (Joe) Colatruglio; sons Curtis and Jason (Aleksandra); grandkids Izabella and Giuliano; her mom Anna Cardy; mother-in-law Natalina; sister Val and brother Derek. She will also be missed by the Cardy families, Colatruglio families, many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. She was predeceased by her dad Don Cardy and father-in-law Donato Colatruglio. It would be wrong to say that Janice lost her battle because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she was always determined to find the positive. When anyone else would have broken, Janice stayed strong. Through her, we know what resilience and perseverance truly look like. There was no quit in Janice. Just because she is no longer here, it doesn’t mean she lost her fight. [Cancer] does not care whom it takes, whom it hurts, whom it changes. It comes into your life and starts to break the threads that hold you and you are left to see pieces of yourself slip away and dreams fade. … [But] the end is when the most amazing thing happens, cancer loses its strength and grace appears. We need to see it. We accept it and go with it. Grace and love win, not cancer.” Janice loved to spend the summers at the lake in Lakeshore heights. She never missed a sunset. This was her own piece of paradise that she got to enjoy with friends and family. She also picked up the love of golf in her early retirement by joining a ladies’ golf league at Harbour view golf course and enjoyed hitting the links with family and friends in her spare time. Janice Colatruglio was an educator and leader in the Canadian Spa Industry for over 25 years. Janice received her aesthetic and electrolysis license in the late 1970s, and soon opened her first Spa, Jan’s Professional Nail and Skincare, which was active for over ten years. Her influence in Spa and Beauty stretched beyond Canada's borders. Janice was also an Instructor /educator at the European School of Esthetics for 14 years. In 2004, Janice became the director of the Riverstone Spa. She was instrumental in developing every aspect of the Riverstone Spa program and was Spa Director up until her retirement in 2018. Under Janice's leadership, Riverstone Spa is considered one of the finest spas in Canada. Janice was a 2016 recipient of the Canadian Spa & Wellness Education Award and was awarded a lifetime achievement award from Leading Spas of Canada in 2022. To say she will be missed by many is an understatement. She has touched and inspired many lives. We will forever be grateful to have known her, to have loved her, and to have made memories with her. The family would like to thank the staff at St. Boniface Hospital and Cancer Care Manitoba for all their support and care. Celebration of Life on November 17, 2022 at St. Andrews on the Red Anglican Church, 3 St. Andrews Road. Reception to follow immediately at Larters Golf Course.