Jan Fraser

KENNEBUNK- Jan (Tillson) Fraser of Kennebunk passed away Monday, July 14, after colon cancer presented the one and only challenge, she was unable to overcome in her 83 years of dedication to her family, business leadership, and giving back to her community.
Born in Gardiner and raised in Winthrop, Maine, Jan grew up in her father's grocery store. From stocking shelves to keeping the books, Jan absorbed all the details, challenges, and rewards of running a small business. The family store is also where Jan acquired her profound empathy for people in need as she watched her father help neighbors whenever possible.
A few months before her junior year of high school, Jan met William Bruce Fraser at music camp, which turned out to be the last summer she'd ever know without her greatest source of love and support. Jan and Bruce married on August 4, 1962, just a few months after Jan graduated from Bryant College in Providence, RI, where she was among the first women to be accepted into the school's business administration program.
The early years of their marriage were all about establishing Bruce's career, building their family, and finding a home in which to raise it. Jan and Bruce found that home on Ridgewood Circle in Kennebunk, a subdivision where their three children roamed free with a slew of other kids all over the neighborhood. The lone exception was the Fraser backyard, where Jan always maintained order and commanded the respect of every child who entered.
After receiving a second degree in education from the University of Southern Maine and serving several years as a substitute teacher in the Kennebunk school system, Jan took an accounting position at Camp Waban in 1977. When she joined the organization, it was a struggling seasonal camp for special needs children with just thirty full-time employees and a $300,000 annual budget. When Jan retired twenty-eight years later, Waban Projects had 300 full-time employees and a $9 million annual budget that enabled the operation of 18 residential programs and 9-day programs for both adults and children with developmental disabilities.
Jan was always quick to share credit for Waban Project's growth and impact with her longtime colleague and friend, Charlene Ford Ralston, who became Assistant Executive Director after Jan was promoted to Executive Director in 1980. Together, the two established win/win relationships with local businesses as well as community and state leaders to help Waban Projects deliver essential services, workforce development opportunities, and support to historically misunderstood and underserved people.
Waban was never just a job for Jan and Charlene. It was a calling. From scrubbing bathrooms to raising millions of dollars each year during the organization's annual telethon, no task was ever too small to receive their full attention, and no detail ever went unattended. Together, they were the brains and brawn, as well as the heart and soul of the organization for over 25 years. In 2011, Waban Projects honored their dedication by naming their primary day school the Fraser Ford Child Development Center, now the Fraser Ford School.
As much satisfaction as Jan gained from her life's work, her family was always her greatest source of pride. She is survived by her husband, W. Bruce, their three children, Brian, Beth, and Brenda; four grandchildren, Brianna, Bryce, Brandon, and Brad; and two great grandchildren, Briggs and Bowen–all of whom will continue to share and pass on Jan's rich glossary of Yankee expressions AKA "Jan-erisms" the family will forever cherish. Jan was predeceased by her beloved parents, Violet and Harold Tillson, and siblings Gladys, Hollis, and Garry Tillson.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to The Salvation Army or Good Shepherd Food Bank.
Jan's Graveside Service will be July 25, 2025, at 1:00 PM at Glenside Cemetery, Turkey Lane, Winthrop, Maine. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Jan's service will be live streamed. Please use the funeral home website and follow link on Jan's obituary page.
Arrangements and guidance are in the care of Roberts Funeral Home, 62 Bowdoin Street, Winthrop, Maine.
Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Roberts Funeral Home website www.khrfuneralhomes.com