Jan "Janny" Bijas

Jan “Janny” Bijas, 64, of Aiken, SC passed away on Tuesday, March 2 ^nd , 2021 of heart complications. He was the beloved son of Joseph and Irene Bijas of Kensington, CT.  He was raised in New Britain and Kensington, CT and was a graduate of Berlin High School and Manchester Community College.

In 1981, Jan left for Aiken, SC with his good friend, Bruce Shipman and went on to a 40-year career in the restaurant business. Jan and Bruce co-owned several very successful restaurants most notably, Up Your Alley and Olive Oil’s. They even had a comedy club for a brief while in Augusta, GA.  After selling the businesses 10 years ago, Janny remained in the restaurant field with his catering and consulting businesses. His legacy will be in his generosity and caring for other people as anyone who ever met him will attest to. Janny’s loves were cooking for his friends and family, golfing at Palmetto, going to casinos and watching just about any sport there is.  He was a huge animal lover, especially dogs, of which he had many over the years.

Jan leaves behind his mother, Irene, his niece and her husband, Nicole and Jack Manno, his great nephews, Jack and Luc E. Manno, his brother-in-law and his wife, Gary and Maria Simoneau, his cousins Patricia and Freddie Faniard of Belgium and numerous other cousins in Poland. He was predeceased by his wife, Kathy, his sister, Edith Simoneau, his nephew, Michael Simoneau and his father, Joseph.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated privately at St. John Church in Cromwell.  Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, New Britain, is in charge of arrangements. The family is planning a celebration of his life at a future date in Aiken, SC.  Memorial contributions can be made in Janny’s memory to Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare, 199 Willow Run Road, Aiken, SC 29801.