RICHARD PAUL JANARO's Obituary
JANARO, RICHARD, 89, of Miami passed away on July 13, 2017 in West Kendall.
Richard was born in New York and grew up in Medford, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard in 1949. Richard began his teaching career at the University of Miami in 1953 when he taught in the English department. He and Thelma Altschuler wrote the first edition of the humanities textbook “The Art of Being Human” in 1979. The eleventh edition of the book was released earlier this year. In 1961, he began Miami Dade College’s theater program. He later served as director of the Miami Dade County Schools Performing and Visual Arts Center (PAVAC) from 1982 to 1985. This program evolved into the New World School of the Arts which he co-founded in 1987. He became the interim dean of theater until 1988 and then associate dean of theater until his retirement in 1996. He continued to teach playwriting there until 2012. In addition to his teaching and writing career, he was a prolific director and playwright. His published plays include “Youth and Asia”, “The Wild Harp”, “The Silence of Antonio Palli”, “Unwavering Light: Einstein in 1905”, and “Love Comes to the Monastery”.
He is survived by his daughter, Laura Alice Potter (Rocky) and her mother Evelyn Janaro, his grandson David Janaro (Cheryl), and his great-grandchildren Micah and Josiah, as well as many adoring former students.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Van Orsdel Kendall Chapel with services at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 followed by interment at Woodlawn Park South Cemetery.
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