SCARBOROUGH – On Jan. 1, 2026, Janice “Jan” Dube, 79, passed away peacefully at the home she considered to be her “happy place” in Scarborough.

Throughout her life, Jan was a quintessential “people-person,” and loved being around and engaged with others, no matter the setting. In her youth, it was the tight-knit community of the Willows in Salem, Massachusetts, where she and her brother, Kenny, roamed “The Line” with the other neighborhood kids, scooped popcorn and ice cream with her mother Gladys (Hobbs) Zegarowski at E.W. Hobbs,’ and marched in the “Horribles” parade on the 4th of July. Her outgoing personality continued to shine at Salem High School, where she was a member of the Pep Squad, Senior Prom Queen, and head cheerleader for the Witches football team. And, with Peter Dube, whom she married in 1967, she truly found a partner as spirited and generous as she was.

In raising their daughters, both Jan and Pete inspired their children to be creative, curious, kind, and devoted to family, traits they themselves embodied. Not long after the heartbreak of Pete’s sudden death in 2001, Jan got to take on what would be one of her favorite roles in life. As “Mimi,” she rediscovered joy through her grandchildren and was so proud as she watched them grow up. She was a cheerleader once again, for them.

Despite the health issues she had over the past five years, she refused to let the frailties of her body rob her of hope and joy and embraced what she could get out of life, out of every sparkling moment she had. Surrounded by the many dear friends she made while living at Bessey Crossing in Scarborough, she woke up every morning with a smile on her face and some plan for the day, whether it be wielding a hot glue gun or a crochet hook, playing Shut-the-Box or Bingo, doing chair yoga, or simply spending time chatting and laughing with a friend.

Jan is survived by daughter Heather Goldberg and her partner Brian Kettler, daughter Farrah Dube-Parent and her husband Gregory Parent, grandchildren Pej’ae and Hagen Parent, bonus granddaughter Yirsy Queliz, her brother Kenneth Zegarowski, and many nieces and nephews. Along with her family, there are many friends, near and far, who will miss her generosity, creativity, and, yes, those morning texts.

A celebration of Jan’s life will be held at a later date. Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home in Saco is entrusted with her cremation.