DELRAY BEACH — Dr. Peter T. Janulis struggled with his health recently, spending the last four and a half months in and out of Bethesda Memorial Hospital. He and
his wife, Lyn, knew his heart condition was very serious, but he had improved
lately and they thought he’d have another year, Lyn Janulis said.
Having survived a heart attack and quintuple bypass surgery in 1991, he was proactive in managing his condition and had many good years since that happened.
But on July 7, Dr. Janulis suddenly died of cardiac arrest in their home at Seagate Towers. He was 84.
Dr. Janulis practiced psychiatry in New York City for 40 years until the couple retired to Delray Beach in 1993.
His son, Ted P. Janulis of New York, N.Y., described his father as a dedicated doctor, “always helping patients, working 13 hour days, most often back-to-back.”
“He was a born scientist who delighted in understanding how things work, whether it was a well-designed kitchen gadget or the intricacies of the human mind,” said
his daughter Lori Closter of Plympton, Mass. “He had a keen sense of humor and
a great zest for life — and a lifelong love of tennis and sailing,” Closter
added. “He adored spending time with his grandchildren and he loved teaching
them chess and doing science experiments. He was an early enthusiast of home
video equipment and his 26 years worth of family footage are among our most
treasured possessions.”
Another daughter, Karen Bouffard of Montpelier, Vt., called her father “a gifted man whose talents and abilities far exceeded those of many. His mastery of the
dynamic of interpersonal relationships and their inherent complexities was
perhaps his greatest achievement. He dedicated his life to helping people
identify and reduce emotional suffering. Above all, he was a true healer.”
Mrs. Janulis recalls how much of a couple they were. “Like an envelope and a stamp, we went everywhere together,” she said. This summer, on their
58th wedding anniversary, they went to Prime Catch for dinner. “I had lobster,
he had filet of sole,” she recalled. He gave her money to buy black pearl
earrings to match a necklace he had given her for her 80th birthday. “He was
too exhausted to go to the jewelry store himself.”
Theirs was a love story dating back to 1951, when he was an intern at New York State Hospital at Syracuse. “I was the football queen at Syracuse University and he
was the 50th man to call me,” Mrs. Janulis recalled. “Everyone called the
football queen.”
There was something very special about him, she said. He asked her out for coffee and she was immediately struck by his smile and warmth. “He had very blue eyes,
chestnut hair and a flash of white teeth. I didn’t know yet how caring he was,
as well.”
Nine weeks later, he proposed and they married in June of 1952. He always sent her flowers on special occasions, usually her favorite — white freesia. Other times
after a long day at work, he’d stop to buy her a single yellow rose.
In Delray Beach, the couple took frequent walks on the beach, sometimes stopping at Boston’s for an iced tea and maybe a slice of Key lime pie. They were
members of the Delray Beach Club, where up until a few years ago, he played
tennis regularly. Other favorite outings were to the Morikami Museum and the
Kravis Center, especially for opera.
During his final years, he took a special interest in politics, lamenting recent developments in the direction the country is taking, his wife said.
Born in Newark, N.J., Dr. Janulis was a the son of the late Theodore and Helen Janulis of Pompano Beach. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his
brother, Dr. Alex Janulis.
Dr. Janulis received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and New York City. His internship and residency in psychiatry
were also served at the Weil Cornell Medical College, after he served in the
Navy during World War II. He was an associate clinical professor at Cornell
Medical College.
In addition to his wife and three children, he is survived by his grandchildren: Jennifer, Julian, Matthew, Elizabeth, Catherine, Peter, Helena and Christina.
A private graveside service was held in Beechwoods Cemetery, New Rochelle, N.Y. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Delray.
Memorial condolences may be made to Class of 1951 Scholarship Fund, Weil Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave., New York, N.Y. 10021, or Bethesda Heart Institute,
Boynton Beach, FL 33435. Lorne & Sons Funeral Home, Delray Beach, was in
charge of arrangements.
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