Obituary of Janet Marie DuGay
Janet (Jan) DuGay, passed away on Monday, May 5, 2025 at her daughter’s home in Pound Ridge, NY.
Janet was born on March 1, 1954 to W. Joy (Livingston) and J. Richard Dodson in the equatorial city of Mbandaka in the Belgian Congo, and what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Janet’s childhood was divided between three African countries (Congo, Ivory Coast, and Tanzania) and America (Texas, New York, and Maryland). As an adult, Janet lived in Townsville, Australia; Houston, TX; Mukilteo, WA; Portland, OR; San Antonio, TX; and White Plains, NY.
Janet first earned a bachelor’s of psychology in 1983 from James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, and in 1989 she graduated from Houston Baptist University School of Nursing in Houston, Texas. As a registered nurse, she specialized in mother and baby care, and spent her final years as a level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse. She retired from nursing at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, NY in the fall of 2020.
Janet was happiest at the beach or anywhere near water. She loved to travel, spoke fluent French and some Spanish, and was – like her parents – an internationalist at heart. Janet also enjoyed music very much – especially The Eagles and The Doors. During the final decade of her life, Janet was a devoted practitioner of Transcendental Meditation.
Janet is survived by her daughter, Shantala DuGay, son-in-law Rags Iyengar, and beloved grandson, Arka Iyengar. Janet is also a devoted sister to David Dodson and Carol Dodson Richardson, and loving aunt to Christina and Clint Richardson and their children.
A private celebration of life with family and friends will be held in June.
If you would like to honor Janet, donations to support baby elephant orphans at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – a cause very dear to Janet’s heart – are appreciated.
