Marian "Jane" Archer

May 13, 1939 ~ April 10, 2025
While never officially earning the title of Pickle Princess of Platteville, Little Janie Archer (as she was fondly known by all who loved her) was certainly small-town royalty. Born to “Doc” & Verda Archer, she was raised as the only child of the beloved town pharmacist and an accomplished educator. Jane would later become a teacher herself, after graduating from Loretto Heights College, and would spend her entire career molding the minds of Colorado’s youth (so if any of you are those students, we apologize).
She didn’t suffer fools gladly, but if you were invited into her circle, she was a loyal friend and supporter (the 3 of you out there know who you are). She had an intelligent wit, and an unrelenting sarcastic approach, which was super fun for her daughters who had to grow some thick skin and learned early not to take anything too seriously…mostly themselves.
She married a man of academia, Charles Cortese who also happened to be a full-blooded Sicilian. I know what you’re thinking — that an Italian male ego partnered with a small-town royal who was used to being doted on by all who knew her would be a match made in heaven. Oddly, however, it didn’t always make for a smooth relationship. The pair moved across the country to New England when Chuck was accepted into the prestigious PhD program at Brown University. Oh, the stories we were regaled with of how much she loved Rhode Island – the winters that brought 8 feet of snow that didn’t melt until late May. The frigid temperatures as she walked to the grocery store to collect the last smashed loaf of bread or bruised banana. The hot, humid summers living in a “triple-decker” in Providence without an elevator or an air conditioner. It painted such a picture of romance and adventure. It’s truly a wonder that they ever left, but they moved back to Denver only a few years later with their first daughter in tow. They would remain in Colorado to raise their family with a second daughter coming a couple years later. Although the Sicilian and pseudo Pickle Princess would eventually divorce, they remained great friends until Chuck’s death in 2002.
Jane pursued a Masters degree from the University of Denver and taught high school English until she retired in 2000. She loved the time in the classroom. She loved to garden. She loved her animals – especially Clancy who was her beloved and loyal canine companion up until just a few months ago. She raised two fairly normal daughters who are both contributing members of society. She adored her two grandchildren who are the loves of her life. And she shared that sharp sarcastic wit with everyone she knew, whether they liked it or not, until her final days.
Little Janie Archer passed away on Thursday, April 10 after a long battle with dementia caused by Alzheimer’s. She is survived by her daughters, Jennifer Bowe (Cortese) Hallam and Elisabeth Archer Cortese, her grandchildren, Charles Parry Hallam and Molly Jane Hallam, her cousin, John David Greve, and many friends. She will be missed here, but we bet she is making everyone laugh, or at least roll their eyes, where she is now. And no doubt they’ve crowned her the official Pickle Princess.
For those wishing to make a contribution to honor Jane, we welcome you to support Humane Colorado (formerly Denver Dumb Friends League) or the Alzheimer’s Association.
A celebration of Jane’s life will be held on Friday, June 6 at 11:00am at Seven Stones Chatfield – 9635 North Rampart Range Road, Littleton
A reception will follow at 12:30 at Lansdowne Arms Bistro & Pub – 9352 Dorchester St., Highlands Ranch
You are welcome to join us for either or both of these events.
Services
Celebration of Life: June 6, 2025 11:00 am
Seven Stones Chatfield
9635 N. Rampart Range Rd
Littleton, Colorado 80125
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America/Denver
2025-06-06 11:00:00
2025-06-06 11:00:00
Marian "Jane"ArcherCelebration of Life
Celebration of Life
9635 N. Rampart Range Rd,Littleton, Colorado 80125
Reception: June 6, 2025 12:30 pm
Lansdowne Arms Bistro & Pub
9352 Dorchester Street
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
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America/Denver
2025-06-06 12:30:00
2025-06-06 12:30:00
Marian "Jane"ArcherReception
Reception
9352 Dorchester Street,Highlands Ranch, Colorado
My mother was good friends with Jane in high school (Patti Walter) and I have heard stories of the drugstore and Pickle Days. In fact, my middle name is Jane