Obituary of Janice Hendel Walker

Janice Walker, age 83, passed away on January 8, 2026. She was surrounded by her family when she passed away in Colorado. Janice was a loving and caring daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and dear friend to many. Gigi, as she became known, loved her family and devoted herself to successfully raising her boys, Kenneth and Timothy, with all of her energy and spirit.

Janice was born in Pittsburgh, PA, to Albert and Beula Hendel. She adored her parents and brothers and was a gifted ballet dancer from a young age. Janice met Arthur M. Fuhrer in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, beginning a relationship that was full of love, travel, and adventure. The two married on February 14, 1963, and welcomed children, Kenneth in 1968 and Timothy in 1971.

Janice and her family moved to Denver soon after the arrival of Ken & Tim, and she continued to make new lifelong friends. Jan embraced the outdoor lifestyle of Colorado while her love of skiing and the mountains grew. Janice worked extremely hard to provide for her family, demonstrating a work ethic she learned from her father’s work as a fruit vendor. Gigi also held a great affection for dogs of all sizes and had many great friends with four legs and tails.

In 1994, Jan married Gordon A. Walker, with her proud father Albert and both families in attendance. She and Gordon enjoyed an adventurous and exciting marriage, full of travel, family, and friends. Throughout their marriage, Jan continued to shine with great compassion and support.

Following Gordon’s passing, Gigi relocated to Telluride, CO, where her son Ken lived. Tim and his family soon moved to Telluride, also. These were wonderful years for Gigi. She cherished her daily involvement with her young grandchildren, Sami and Lila. Gigi would often reminisce that her time in Telluride was her favorite time in her life.

In 2012, Jan returned to Denver, reuniting with many old friends. She enjoyed theatre, concerts, continued skiing, and treasured spending time with family. Gigi lived a warm and meaningful life, and she will always be remembered for her unique capacity to make everyone feel special.

Gigi is survived by her son Kenneth and his wife Kristen Permakoff, son Tim and wife Jennie Fuhrer, and her granddaughters, Samantha Fuhrer and Lila Renke.

A celebration of Gigi’s life will be held in Denver on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) in Winter Park, CO.