Janet Engelke Lacetera

Janet Engelke Lacetera, born in Jamaica, Queens, New York to John and Lilian Engelke on September 2nd, 1941, and married to Joseph Lacetera, her spouse of 54 years, passed away on November 25, 2016. Her death was the result of pulmonary failure after a long bout with accumulating illnesses, including rheumatoid arthritis and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Janet had an IQ of 174 and was valedictorian of Andrew Jackson High School, which at the time had an enrollment of over 11, 000 students. On her graduation from high school she was offered scholarships from Johns Hopkins and Cornell, but chose to do her undergraduate studies near home at Hofstra where she received Bachelor's Degrees in both Mathematics and English History. She again received offers from both Johns Hopkins and Cornell, and chose to do her graduate work at The Johns Hopkins University where she received a Master's degree in Mathematics. In 1965, she joined her husband Joseph Lacetera in the Theoretical Physics Branch of the U. S. Army's Nuclear Defense Laboratory where they performed studies of x-ray propagation and energy deposition in targets. She subsequently performed hydrodynamics modeling of shaped charges at the U. S. Army's Ballistic Research Laboratory which later became the Army Research Laboratory where she rose to the level of Weapon-Systems Analysis Branch Chief. After retiring from her government position she worked as a contractor for the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC).

Janet was a fine athlete and the second president of the Renaissance Allsports Athletics Club (RASAC), the Harford County running club; was a key figure in the club's early development, and was inducted into the club's Honor Roll in the first year that honor was offered. She was also a board member of the South Atlantic Association of USA Track & Field, the national governing body in amateur running competition.

Socially, Janet was known for her significant financial support to horse rescues and other animal charities. She is survived, only by her husband, Joseph.