Juliet Jiracek

Juliet was born in 1926, to Adeline and Joseph Nicoletti. A proud Denver native.

Juliet is proceeded in death by her parents Adeline and Joseph Nicoletti, Sister - Marie Gienger, Brother - Tommy Nicoletti, Nephew - Mark Nicoletti, Great Niece - Kristin Nicoletti. Husband Don Schray and Husband Art Jiracek

She is survived by her loving sister JoAnn Evancich, Nieces - Judith Lunn, Diane Nordstrom, Joni Nicoletti-Coppedge. Nephews - Nick Evancich, Max Gienger, Greg Nicoletti and Glenn Nicoletti. Numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews and God children. Three stepchildren and three grandchildren.

Juliet attended Columbian Elementary, Skinner Jr. High and North High School.

During the war, it was hard for her father to get help for the family business, Sunshine Laundry, and Dry Cleaners. She stepped in to help! In 1956, Sunshine Laundry was sold, due to her father’s illness. Juliet went to work for Sundstrand Aviation in the Payroll Department. After six months she left to work for Silver State Laundry. They sent her to Washington, DC to study Dry Cleaning Management.

In 1957, her Aunt Jo introduced her to her future husband Don Schray. In 1958, they purchased a home in Broomfield, Colorado. They left Colorado for a year moving to Rapid City, South Dakota. Home sick, they returned to Broomfield, and she went back to work at Sundstrand in the Personnel Department. Sundstrand lost a government contract, and she was transferred to the Credit Union.

In 1961, she started The Princess Yarn Shop on 48th Avenue in Denver. She was an avid knitter! Nearly every family member, when requested, received one of her Afghans, or were surprised, when married and had children. After Don’s death in 1966, Juliet sold the yarn shop and went to work for IBM in the Personnel Department.

In September of 1980, she was introduced to Art Jiracek. They were married in January the following year. She had the privilege of becoming a stepmom and later a grandmother. They divided their time between homes in Durango, Colorado and Chandler, Arizona.

Travel was a passion of hers. Her travels took her all over the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Jamaica, and Italy just to name a few.

Her favorite trips were to, Italy to visit her families’ ancestral villages. She loved Italy so much that she later took her sisters. She and Art thoroughly enjoyed his Frontier benefits being able to visit family and friends.

Outside of knitting, crocheting, card games and travel, she had a strong interest in her families’ genealogy. She has been the keeper and researcher for years of the Nicoletti and Mauro history. She kept the families together organizing annual reunions.

She loved entertaining. Her home was the family gathering spot for years. We all know she was a wonderful cook and we all probably loved her pasta the most! She also loved baking traditional Italian cookies. Up until a few months before she passed, she was still baking her homemade Italian bread.

After Art passed in February of 2000, she continued living in her Broomfield home until 2017. When she decided it was time to downsize, she moved to Keystone in Westminster, loving the people, and activities. Her only complaint was about the lack of good pasta, but that didn’t stop her from cooking her own! She always enjoyed wine with her dinners!

With a loving heart and her strong faith, at 96 years old, she was ready to join the Lord.

Thank you to everyone that filled her life, especially her last days with your love, phone calls and visits. Juliet wanted everyone to celebrate her life with Pasta, Bread, Manhattans, & Wine!

In lieu of donations, we ask that you all go out to your favorite Italian restaurant for a Pasta dinner in remembrance and to relive old memories. Please toast her with a glass of wine.

Thank you to our “Gigi” for all the years of leading and loving us!!

We all love you and you will be missed so much!!