Janice Dobies-Hein passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 22, 2026, at age 88, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was a decades-long breast cancer survivor and had most recently overcome esophageal cancer just last fall. Her January scan confirmed she was free of that cancer. As her oncologist later remarked, it was simply cruel chance that an entirely new cancer appeared on that same scan.

Jan was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur “Ted” Hein; her parents, George and Mildred Soltis; and her granddaughters, Sofia and Isabelle Polley.

She is survived by her children, Julie Dobies, Mike (Ellen) Dobies, and Angela (Dave) Polley; eight grandchildren (Justin, Jackson, Madeleine, Morgan, Amelia, Liseth, Jonathan and Olivia); four great-grandchildren (Theo, Davey, Kaia and Blakely); her former husband Ron (Carole) Dobies; and a wide circle of dear lifelong and newer friends whose lives she deeply enriched.

Jan was born on May 11, 1938, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Soon afterward, her family moved to Wahpeton, North Dakota, where she spent her childhood and graduated from Wahpeton High School. She attended the University of North Dakota, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and later completed her Ph.D. at Washington University in St. Louis, where she also began raising her family.

The family eventually settled in the Kansas City area, where Jan established a private psychology practice and became a contributing author to the book “How to Choose and Use the Right Therapist For You.” In 1977, the family moved to Edina, Minnesota, where she continued a long and respected clinical career across a variety of organizations until her retirement.

Jan was intelligent, determined, and fiercely independent. She approached life with curiosity and resilience, continually seeking growth, connection, and purpose throughout every season of her life.

At age 40, Jan discovered what would become one of her greatest passions: ballroom dancing. She began with beginner lessons at the Arthur Murray School of Dance in Edina, and, as they say, the rest is history. Over the years, she trained with more than 25 instructors and competed in numerous pro-am competitions, including three in Costa Rica. Dance became a source of both joy and vitality in her life. Remarkably, she danced for 2-½ hours just six weeks before her death.

Beyond her family and dancing community, Jan cultivated many meaningful friendships and interests. Later in life, she developed a deep appreciation for F. Scott Fitzgerald and enjoyed being part of the St. Paul enthusiasts. She was a lifelong Lutheran and played the organ in her childhood church in Wahpeton. Her faith sustained her throughout her life and she treasured the many relationships she formed over the years as a member of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Minneapolis.

Jan also loved the richly diverse community of neighbors and friends in her apartment building. People were drawn to her kindness, welcoming spirit, active intellect, and genuine interest in others. She had a unique ability to make people feel seen, valued, and included.

She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Her family takes comfort in knowing she trusted in Jesus Christ and looked forward to being reunited with loved ones in heaven.

There will be a memorial service and reception following on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 1:30 pm (CST) at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd located at 4801 France Avenue South in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The funeral will be livestreamed at https://www.goodshepherdmpls.org/funerals.

Memorial donations may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.