Janice C. Chernoff

A TRIBUTE TO JANICE CHERNOFF By Mark Vosko If you had to sum up Janice Chernoff in one word… you couldn’t. Because she wasn’t just one thing… she was a whole experience. And if you were lucky… you got a front-row seat. Janice was born in Los Angeles on May 11,1926 and just 37 days shy of reaching an incredible 100th birthday. A century of life, laughter, love and just enough mischief to keep things interesting. She grew up in the golden era of Fairfax …graduated from Fairfax High and UCLA and if you know that neighborhood, you know it wasn’t just an education… it was an experience! Between Canter’s Deli and the old May Company, it took real discipline to stay focused… or at least to choose between the mouthwatering hot pastrami and the irresistible high-fashion shopping. But Janice didn’t just live in a great time…she helped define it. Now, let’s talk about Alex… because this is where the story gets good. In 1947, Alex Chernoff, born in the Bronx, a proud graduate of CCNY with a degree in chemistry did something bold. Inspired by that old American spirit… maybe even channeling a little bit of Horace Greeley’s “Go West, young man Go West”… Alex and his brother packed up and drove across the country to California, chasing opportunity, chasing a future… maybe even chasing a little gold. But here’s the thing. Alex didn’t strike gold in the ground. When he arrived on the West Coast, that chemistry degree came in handy in a way no one could have predicted because he became something of an alchemist. He took the idea of gold… and turned it into something far more valuable. He turned it into a marriage that would last a lifetime. At the Highland Springs Resort (a place that felt like a slice of the Catskills transported to California) Alex met Janice at a singles event sometime around 1948. And from that moment on… the chemistry was undeniable. Not just “good chemistry”… not just “this might work”… This was perfect molecular alignment. The kind of chemistry that doesn’t just create a moment… it creates a lifetime. They fell in love, they got married and they built something far more valuable than anything he could have ever found in the earth. They built a family. First came Ellis in 1953… Followed by Rober in 1957. And even though Robert was the youngest… he went on to become both a doctor and a lawyer…fulfilling just about every Jewish mother’s dream in one remarkable life. Ellis, on the other hand, followed a different kind of calling, one that reached for the sky. Long before men ever reached the moon, Ellis was already dreaming of of lofty heights. He became an extraordinary aviator… a captain of multiple aircraft… a teacher of pilots… a leader… a true professional who helped shape some of the finest aviators at FedEx… and from my own personal experience, I can humbly say, at Delta Air Lines as well—because in addition to being my brother from another mother, Ellis has always been my tutor and my guide. And in time, he retired as a seasoned captain, having lived a life that would make any parent proud. And that… tells you everything about Janice. Because children like that don’t happen by accident. They come from a home filled with love, discipline, humor… and probably a brisket recipe that no one has ever quite been able to duplicate. Janice and Alex built that home in Encino, California, where they raised their boys and built their lives together. Now… there’s one more part of this story that is so uniquely them… that you almost have to smile. Years ago, when Alex passed, he passed away in their home… in their bed… on a Friday. And just recently, our beloved Jan passed away…in her bed… in that very same room… also on a Friday. Now I don’t know about you… but at some point, you have to start wondering… Maybe there’s more to that space… to that bed… than meets the eye. Maybe it’s not just a place. Maybe it’s a cosmic connector… an express lane… a kind of transporter… carrying souls to the next dimension… A direct route… straight to wherever Alex was waiting. And I can just imagine it… Janice arrives… looks around… and sees Alex… who says, “What took you so long?” Because if there’s one thing we know… They were never really apart. And now… they’re together again. And maybe… just maybe… somewhere out there… there are two souls sitting side by side… listening to the same classical music… enjoying a beautiful ballet… or hysterically laughing at Jackie Mason monologue… picking up right where they left off. So today, we don’t just say goodbye. We celebrate. We celebrate a woman who lived nearly a century on her terms… who built a family… who created a legacy… who loved deeply… and was deeply loved in return. Thank you, Janice… for everything you gave… for everything you were… and for everything that lives on because of you. Your memory will always be a blessing… your spirit will always be with us… and your story… will always make us smile.