Janet L. Canfield

SCARBOROUGH – Janet Littlefield Canfield passed away peacefully on April 1, 2023 at The Enclave senior living community in Scarborough at the age of 91. She lived a full life with a wide circle of friends and was known for her high-spirited laugh, her passion for Maine and her love of family.

Jan (as she liked to be called) was born Janet Billings Littlefield, May 10, 1931, in Boston to Lillian (Pierce) and Frederic B. Littlefield and grew up in Belmont outside of Boston. She attended Buckingham school in Cambridge and graduated from Beaver Country Day School in Newton, Mass. In 1951 she graduated from Garland Junior College in Boston earning her early childhood education degree. While growing up, she spent summers in Brooksville, Maine, where her father founded Robin Hood Camp in 1928, a summer camp located along Walker Pond and Eggemoggin Reach, and which is still owned and run by family. It was there where she developed her love for Maine while spending summers in her parents’ summer home, known as The Hostess House, and spending time with her cousins and many friends.

Jan married Frederick “Ted” Canfield in 1952 in an outdoor lakeside chapel in the woods at Robin Hood Camp. The first additions to their family came with the arrival of twins, Scott and Leigh. They later had Clarke, and then Amanda.

While Ted built his career in business, Jan raised the family while living in Wayland and Belmont, Mass., with short stays in Newport, R.I., and Knoxville, Tenn. The family later moved to Webster Groves, a suburb outside of St. Louis, Mo., and then later to Memphis, Tenn. where she lived for 42 years. Throughout the decades, Janet spent summers in Brooksville, where her children attended Robin Hood Camp as both campers and counselors.

Janet had a wide group of friends wherever she lived, and lifelong friends from her school years and her time in Maine. You could hear her laugh far away – the type where a person’s laugh is funnier than the joke. Along with a smile that was contagious. She also had those wide sapphire-blue eyes, with a special way of connecting with everyone, befriending everyone she met. She retained her pronounced Boston accent throughout her life.

She had a creative entrepreneurial spirit, and at the age of 52 she started and ran her own flag company. She ran the ‘Flag, Pole and Banner Center’ out of her home, selling flags and banners of all sorts, while also having flag poles installed, and growing her business. She became known as ‘The Flag Lady’ and was featured in newspaper articles. Her flags, banners and poles could be found all over Memphis and the surrounding area.

While living in Memphis for decades, she was a member of PEO, the Women’s Professional Business Group, and the Colonial Methodist Church. She volunteered at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and was an active tennis player. Jan continued visiting Maine during Christmas holidays and summers to visit her children and grandchildren.

In 2014, Janet decided it was time to slow down, retire from the flag business, and be closer to her children, who all live in the Portland area. She packed up and moved to an apartment in Yarmouth, where she formed a whole new circle of friends. Five years ago, she moved into The Enclave senior living community in Scarborough, where she was known as the “Queen” of The Enclave – developing new friendships with many. The family would like to express its gratitude to all the staff at The Enclave for their extraordinary care of and compassion for Jan and making her happy with laughter. As always, laughter is the best medicine, as she would say.

Jan was dynamic, had an indomitable spirit, wonderful sense of humor with a sly touch at times, showed an interest in everyone she met, and had a strong faith in God. ‘Just Let Go to God’, she would often say. Most of all she loved her entire family.

Jan is survived by her children, Scott Canfield, wife Minh and children Ean and Jesse of Yarmouth; Leigh Canfield, wife Leslie and children Brendan, Erik and Anushka of Yarmouth; Clarke Canfield, wife Amy and son Eli of South Portland; Amanda Richardson, husband Scott and children Sam and Julia of Yarmouth; half-brother, Rick Littlefield and his wife Robin of Carmel, Calif. and Brooksville, Maine, and their children; brother-in-law David Canfield of Concord, N.H.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her children’s father, Ted, whom she was married to for 38 years, and her sister, Barbara Pluff.

The family will hold a memorial celebration of Jan’s life this summer in Brooksville. She will be buried in Lakeside Cemetery near the shore of Walker Pond, next to her beloved mother, whom all affectionally called ‘Doodles’, along with her beloved father, whom all grandchildren affectionally called ‘Bump’. She will be very much missed by all those many who knew and loved her.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Jan’s memory to:

Alzheimer’s Association

at alz.org