Janet Louise Blackhurst Romney passed away peacefully in her sleep Thursday morning, May 16, 2024. She was born, as she often said, “of goodly parents,” on October 24, 1931, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Hyrum Mitchell Blackhurst and Amy Leone Davis. She was raised amid five brothers, all of whom she adored, nearly as much as they adored her. Surrounded by boys, she quickly developed a great sense of humor and a ready wit.

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Her home was filled with music. Her mother sang and could play any song on the piano by ear and Janet soon came to love singing as well. In her final year at South High School, she sang the lead in the operetta, “The Student Prince,” and continued to generously share her glorious voice throughout her life. She belonged to several music clubs, “Squeak and Squawk” and “Music Circle,” where she developed lifelong friends. Always interested in others, she easily formed long term relationships with extended family and built meaningful friendships with so many, starting in elementary school and throughout her life.

She was a truly beautiful person: gracious, kind, warm-hearted, deep feeling, classy, always reaching out to the one in need. She was named the Sweetheart of Delta Phi, the Days of ’47 Queen, and the U Days Queen. Her husband, Keith, described her as a “startlingly beautiful young woman.” Her inner beauty, however, outshone her outward physical beauty. She was generous with her love and with her time, serving faithfully in numerous Church callings, but always remembering to reach out in love to those around her.

At the University of Utah, she graduated with a degree in elementary education and was a member of and was eventually elected president of the Pi Phi sorority. While she never taught formally in a classroom setting, she used her education every day to teach her children and grandchildren. She and her family were longtime members of the Garden Park Ward, where she served in many callings, including Primary President and Relief Society President, which she regarded as one of her sweetest callings.

She married her husband Keith on December 28, 1953, in the Salt Lake Temple, and at the age of 22 moved to Washington, D.C. where Keith was completing his final year of law school. She went to work as a secretary in the U.S. Capitol, and to her surprise, was also soon called to serve as the Relief Society President of the Washington Ward. Their first child was born in Washington, D.C., and later when Keith joined the Air Force as a Chaplain, they moved with their growing young family (seven children in nine years!) to Biloxi, Wichita Falls, and eventually to San Antonio. After leaving the Air Force and returning to Salt Lake City, she supported Keith in his growing legal career, and later when Keith started his condominium consulting business, traveled with him on consulting assignments around the world, even moving to Honolulu, Hawaii, for a year.

She will be long remembered for her cheerful disposition and compassionate nature and will be missed beyond measure by her children: Vicki (Scott) Henderson, Brad (Sara Jayne) Romney, Lois (Rick) Waltman, Jenifer (David) Blackner, Amy (Dan) Bennett and John (Joni) Romney; her 27 surviving grandchildren (and spouses); and her 65 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith Bradford Romney, her youngest son, Richard, granddaughter Laura, and by all her brothers, Richard, Burt, Stan, Jon, and Stephen Blackhurst.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at the Garden Park Ward, 1150 Yale Avenue. A viewing will be held on Tuesday evening, May 21, 2024, from 6:00-8:00 p.m., also at the Garden Park Ward, and before the services from 10:00-11:45 a.m. Interment will follow the services at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park (3401 S. Highland Drive).

The family would like to especially thank the many wonderful caregivers at Bristol Hospice, Spring Gardens Holladay (and the associated Latter-Day Saint Branch), and family and friends who reached out to or visited Janet in her last years, bringing her joy and comfort.