Obituary: Janice Lee (Jackson) Holbrook
Janice Lee Holbrook, 89, Longtime Cape Porpoise Resident and Community Volunteer, Dies
CAPE PORPOISE, ME — Janice Lee (Jackson) Holbrook, a beloved resident of Cape Porpoise and lifelong volunteer, died peacefully on September 3, 2026. The 89‑year‑old was survived by her husband of nearly 70 years, David “Dave” Holbrook, who passed away just a month earlier on July 27.
Born in Kennebunk on December 6, 1936, to Roy and Agnes Jackson, Janice was the eldest of three siblings. She attended Kennebunk High School, where she met future husband David. The couple married in 1956, built a home in Cape Porpoise, and adopted four children together. Over the decades, the Holbrook family grew to include eight grandchildren, and Janice later became a proud great‑grandmother to several children of her grandchildren.
Janice worked as a bookkeeper for Kennebunk Savings Bank for many years before retiring. After retirement, she and Dave spent their later years traveling, spending winters in Florida, and enjoying time with family. “She adored her grandchildren,” said her daughter Colleen Hallee, “and they were always the center of her world.”
Beyond her family, Holbrook was known throughout the region as a dedicated volunteer. She helped organize the Fresh Air Fund, bringing children from New York City to spend the summer in New England. At Consolidated School, she volunteered for countless school events—musicals, parades, and sporting competitions—always ready to lend a hand. “She was a helper, true to the words of Mr. Rogers, who said, ‘Look for the helpers,’” recalled a longtime friend. “If something needed fixing or someone needed help, she was there.”
Her faith guided her actions, and she was known for doing the right thing no matter the circumstance. “Her generosity was boundless,” said a former volunteer at the Fresh Air Fund.
The Holbrook family will hold a joint visitation and memorial service on Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Bibber Memorial Chapel (67 Summer Street, Kennebunk). The graveside ceremony will follow at 11 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery, located on Route 35. The family invites friends and neighbors to share memories and condolences on Janice’s online Book of Memories page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are handled by Bibber Memorial Chapel. Janice Lee (Jackson) Holbrook will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and community steward who touched the lives of many in Maine and beyond.
