Janice Ciccarello Obituary

Janice Marie Ciccarello, 85, of Portsmouth, NH, passed away on July 29, 2025, at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, following a battle with heart disease. Born in Old Town, Maine, on May 21, 1940, Jan spent her early years in her home state before moving to Middletown, Connecticut. There, she met the love of her life, Salvatore Ciccarello, with whom she shared over 50 years of marriage. The couple relocated to New Hampshire in 1970 to build their life together. After Salvatore's passing, Jan resided at the assisted living community at Cedar Healthcare in Portsmouth, beginning in 2018. Jan worked for and retired from Northeast Delta Dental in Concord, NH, in the early 2000s. She happily embraced retirement to become a full-time grandmother and cherished "second mother" to her grandchildren, Alyssa and Anthony Ciccarello. This role brought her profound happiness and purpose; being a grandmother was one of her greatest joys. Jan found delight in many activities. She loved dressing up for Halloween each year, bowling, playing bingo, and solving crossword puzzles. Her creative side shone through in her painting, poetry, and crocheting. She enjoyed trips to the beach, playing games on her iPad, and going out to celebrate her birthday. In her later years at assisted living, she treasured Thursday evening "ladies' happy hour," where a single, well-diluted drink was enough to make her giggle. She loved her friends and family fiercely, often ending conversations with her signature phrases, "I love you to the moon and back," or a competitive, "I love you more." Jan is survived by her two sons, Craig Ciccarello of Berwick, Maine, and Harold Bryant of Pittsfield, NH; her grandchildren, Alyssa, Anthony, Jason, Danielle, Mark, and Phoebe; as well as several great-grandchildren. Jan had a special gift for making everyone in her presence smile. Her comedic and loving personality, along with her abundance of hugs and kisses, will be dearly missed. Rest in peace, Mom.