Janine Priante

Janine Priante of Penn Valley, a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend to many, and grandmother to pets, passed away peacefully on April 16 at 73 years old, after bravely fighting heart disease for decades.

Born in Brooklyn, raised in San Pedro, she graduated from California State University Long Beach before moving to Nevada County, where she lived for the rest of her life.

She was eccentric, devoted to family, creative, sarcastic, charismatic and spunky. She was a lover of the arts, theater, music, animals, food, wine, pirates, Vikings, Renaissance fairs, Italian swear words, and gems and minerals. Janine was an art docent, Shakespearean actor, volunteer at the Penn Valley Fire Department ladies auxiliary, member of a pirate crew, a licensed merchant mariner and adopter of stray animals.

She is survived by her children, Jessica Priante Matulich, Eric Priante Martin, Gina Priante Ross, Christina Ross and Rita Ross; as well as grandchildren Mischa Matulich, Alonso Martin, Kimberly Zolling, Brendin Rasmussen, Denise Rasmussen, Austin Hoskins, Grace Canter, Felix Canter, Vivian Canter and Xavier Canter; great-grandchildren Sean Belendez, Asher Rose, John Knox and Parker Knox; sons and daughters-in-law Jhonny Tapia, Mischa Matulich and Zinnia Martin; and countless friends, cats and dogs whom she considered family.

A celebration of her life will be held from 3pm to 8pm, with dinner at 5:30pm, on June 15 at the Buttermaker’s Cottage at Western Gateway Park in Penn Valley. In true Janine fashion, pirate attire is welcomed. In lieu of flowers, please donate to help fund her celebration of life at  https://gofund.me/446efd14. Funds not spent on the celebration will be donated to Interfaith Food Ministry.