SCARBOROUGH – James Francis “Jim” Janak, Sc.D., 81 years old, of Scarborough, died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice after a brief struggle with lung cancer.

Jim was born Dec. 5, 1938, in Yonkers, N.Y. to James Francis Janak Sr. and Josephine Janak. When he was 6 years old, his father passed away. He and his brother were raised by his mother, a single parent.

Jim graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers and went on to study Electrical Engineering at MIT where he earned B.S., M.S., and Sc.D. degrees. While at MIT, he was awarded the Ford Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow Award (1964-1965), he was also president of Phi Kappa Theta Catholic Fraternity. Soon after graduating, while doing his post graduate fellowship in 1965, he fell in love with and married Anne Kendall at St. Patrick’s Church in Portland.

From 1965 to 1996 Jim was a research staff member for IBM at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. In that time, he and Anne made their home in Shrub Oak, N.Y., where they had two children – Jennifer, in 1965, and Christopher, in 1967. He worked in theoretical physics until 1982, and specialized in computer sciences from 1982 until his retirement from IBM in 1996. While at IBM, Jim received four Contribution awards. He was also co-editor of proceedings of the International Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials from 1979-1982. He was an adjunct professor of physics at Pace University from 1978- 2002, when he retired to Maine. Jim published two books and more than 50 papers.

Jim enjoyed photography, woodworking, and building his grand model railroad. He was a Francophile who loved a great glass of wine while visiting his daughter and grandchildren in France. He studied the French language until the end of his life. He never stopped learning.

He is survived by his wife, Anne Kendall Janak; their daughter, Jennifer Parlay of Dijon, France, their son, Christopher and his wife Lisa of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and a brother, Richard Janak of New Paltz, N.Y. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Sabrina Paday, Chloe Paday, Chlotilde Maudhuit, all of Dijon, France, Keilidh Harnilton-Maureira, Lulu Hamilton-Janak, and Johnny Hamilton-Janak, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and two great-grandchildren, Lou Morel-Paday, and Oscar Edmee-Paday, also of Dijo France.

Due to gathering restrictions, a graveside service will be limited to the immediate family. However, it will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/conroytullywalker at 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. To view Jim’s memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com

Memorial donations may be made to the

Scarborough Public Library,

48 Gorham Rd.,

Scarborough, ME 04074

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