Nov. 20, 1950 — Feb. 10, 2026

Janet Ann Dobson Leifur, 75, died on Feb. 10, 2026, in San Francisco. She was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on Nov. 20, 1950, the fourth of six children to William and Winifred Dobson.

Janet had wonderful early childhood memories shared with her family in Newport. The family relocated to Ventura, California, when she was 10. She attended Mound Elementary School, Balboa Junior High School, and Buena High School where she graduated in 1969. During her junior year at Buena she met Gary Gene Leifur on a blind date. After dating for over four years, they married in 1972. They lived for the majority of their marriage in Camarillo, California. They had two wonderful children, Michael and Amy, of whom they both were so proud.

Janet followed in her mother and sister’s footsteps by becoming a registered nurse. She graduated from Ventura College with an Associate Degree in Nursing in 1972. She worked as a registered nurse at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, California. After receiving her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in nursing from California State University Dominguez Hills, Janet returned to Ventura College as a nursing professor where she taught for 10 years; she retired in 2007.

Janet’s love of the nursing profession was demonstrated in many ways. Together with her sister, Joy Dobson Way, they established the Winifred Dobson Medal for Academic and Clinical Excellence in Nursing in 2002 at Ventura College in memory of their beloved mother. Janet also volunteered her time and energy with a number of organizations and fastidiously donated to many nonprofits. 

Following her retirement, she moved to Ashland, Oregon, to be closer to most of her siblings. In 2023, she relocated to San Francisco to spend more time with her two grandchildren.

Janet was a devout Catholic. She attended St. Mary Magdalen Church in Camarillo, Our Lady of the Mountain in Ashland, and, most recently, St. Vincent de Paul Church in San Francisco.

Janet’s husband, Gary, the love of her life, her parents, William and Winifred, and her oldest brother, William A. Dobson Jr., preceded her in death. She is survived by her son, Michael Thomas Leifur, and daughter-in-law, Kaitlin Leifur-Masterson, of Seattle, Washngton; her daughter, Amy Elizabeth Leifur Halby, son-in-law, Michael Halby, and grandchildren, Leifur Gary Anthony Halby and Winifred Janet Charlene Halby, of San Francisco; her sister, Joy Dobson Way, of Ashland; her brothers and sister-in-law, Steven and Leanna Dobson and John Dobson, of Redding, California; and Robert Dobson of South Carolina, numerous nieces and nephews, and many wonderful friends.

A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in San Francisco. A further funeral mass and burial will be held in the near future in Redding and Igo, California.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ventura College Foundation: Dobson Medal, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura CA 93003, or St. Vincent de Paul School, 2350 Green St. San Francisco CA 94123.

Safely Home

I am home in Heaven, dear ones;

Oh, so happy and so bright!

There is perfect joy and beauty

In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,

Every restless tossing passed;

I am now at peace forever,

Safely home in Heaven at last.

Did you wonder I so calmly

Trod the valley of the shade?

Oh! But Jesus’ love illumined

Every dark and fearful glade.

And he came Himself to meet me

In that way so hard to tread;

And with Jesus’ arm to lean on,

Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,

For I love you dearly still;

Try to look beyond earth’s shadows,

Pray to trust your Father’s Will.

There is work still waiting for you,

So you must not idly stand;

Do it now while life remaineth –

You shall rest in Jesus’ land.

When that work is all completed,

He will gently call you Home;

Oh the rapture of that meeting,

Oh the joy to see you come!

Until We Meet Again …

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