Janis S. Davidson

Janis Susan Davidson (née Goodman) passed away on January 9, 2026, in Alexandria, Virginia, where she lived in her final years to be close to family. She previously lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Yorktown Heights, New York; and Boston, Massachusetts. She was 77 years old.

Janis was a woman of conviction and curiosity, with a strong sense of Jewish identity that she channeled into more than 30 years as a Jewish educator—and into being the keeper of family traditions. She felt deeply and loved deeply. She could be the center of attention, but always wanted to do the right thing. She loved culture and languages and was an ace at trivia. Everyone seems to have a story about her. We miss her terribly.

Janis was the only child of Eli and Ida Goodman (née Goldman). She grew up surrounded by cousins in Dorchester, Massachusetts, which gave her a strong sense of family that she carried throughout her life.

She is survived by her husband, Arthur Davidson; her son, Adam Davidson, his wife, Rebecca Stang, and their daughter, Delilah, of Washington, DC; and her daughter, Heather “Heidi” Davidson, her husband, Lansana Keita, and their daughter, Eliana, of Düsseldorf, Germany.

Her funeral service will be held at Stanetsky Memorial Chapels, 475 Washington Street, Canton on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 10 AM. Burial to follow at Hebrew Volin Cemetery, 776 Baker Street, West Roxbury.