Elizabeth Anne "Betty" Janson

Elizabeth Anne Janson (Betty) passed away peacefully on May 7, 2025 weeks away from her 85th birthday. She shared a very fulfilling and adventurous life with her husband of fifty-four years, Harold William Janson Jr. (Jay). He predeceased her on August 28, 2014. Betty was a loving and dedicated mother to Deborah Anne Yacos and son-in-law Mark John Yacos. She was a devoted grandmother to Ryan Yacos, Amanda Quilty (Conor) and Spencer Yacos.

Betty was born in New York City to the late Noreen Rita (Fahey) and Daniel Francis Shea. She was raised on Nantucket, Massachusetts and attended Nantucket High School. Betty grew up in the Carlisle House Inn on North Water Street, a bed and breakfast that was owned and run by her mother Noreen, her Aunt Kathleen Barr and Uncle Charles Barr. She met Jay while he was stationed on Nantucket in the Navy, at a wedding, where he was the trombone player in the band. It was a whirlwind romance and that love would continue until his passing. After his Nantucket duty station ended, he was assigned to London in early 1960. Betty followed him and they were immediately wed in London where they began their married life.

Soon after her life as a Navy wife began, she would experience the challenging, yet exciting constant of relocating that the Navy is famous for. She was fortunate enough to have lived in Eleuthera (Bahamas), Annapolis MD, Panama, and South Portland, ME. But she always considered Nantucket her heart's home.

Similar to the independent and strong whaling wives of Nantucket, she had many periods of time, where she was the sole parent, as Jay was at sea for long stretches of time and would come home on leave every six months. During this challenging time she worked at the A & P on Nantucket and Sears in South Portland and raised their daughter, Debbie.

Betty and Jay spent 35 years in South Portland, loving their home on Allen Road, the many lighthouses down the street, Sebago Lake and visits from family and the numerous friends they had made. They took many trips, with Ireland and Bermuda being their favorites. In retirement, they were able to spend many summers on Nantucket, surrounded by their grandchildren, reconnecting with their numerous friends from High School and the Navy and driving on the beach to fish or watch sunsets.

In later years they relocated to New Jersey to be close to Debbie and her family and were able to attend every concert, recital, sporting event that their grandchildren participated in. Family was everything to Betty and she loved her family more than anything. Betty was warm, welcoming, loving and a phenomenal listener who had the best giggle. She will be so missed but never forgotten.

Betty was a dedicated Catholic and she will be buried together with Jay on Nantucket later this year. At that time, a mass will be held at St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Church, on Nantucket where she made her first communion and confirmation.