Denelle High Elk, 59, of Manderson, entered eternal rest Saturday, February 22, 2025, at home in Manderson, SD.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m., Monday, March 3, 2025, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte, with a procession from the 4-mile at noon.

Denelle Brooks High Elk was born on November 7, 1965, in Eagle Butte, SD, to Ted and Faye (Iron Bird) High Elk. She attended Cheyenne Eagle Butte School from kindergarten through her graduation in 1984. A passionate reader, Denelle especially loved Nora Roberts novels—so much so that she could have had her own library.

Throughout her life, Denelle took pride in her many achievements. After high school, she attended Northern State University but soon realized college wasn’t for her. She then enrolled at Clearfield Job Corps near Salt Lake City, UT, where she earned a degree in business. Upon returning home, she began a long and dedicated work history. Denelle was known for her determination—when she started a project, she saw it through to the very end, ensuring it met her high standards.

A hardworking and ambitious woman, Denelle held various jobs throughout her career. She worked at Hardee’s in Yankton, served as a blackjack dealer at Fort Randall Casino in Wagner, and worked as a receptionist and data entry clerk at Tribal Health. From 2004 to 2012, she served as the Tourism Director for Game, Fish, and Parks in Eagle Butte, where she played a key role in promoting tourism on the Cheyenne River. This position allowed her to co-found the Cheyenne River Chamber of Commerce. In addition to bookkeeping and other responsibilities within the GFP program, her proudest accomplishment was becoming the Lewis and Clark Coordinator for the Corps of Rediscovery. She also spent years as an office manager for Prairie Management.

Beyond her professional work, Denelle was deeply involved in her community. She served on numerous boards, including the Sioux Nonca Board of Directors as a youth advocate, the Northwest Area Foundation–Horizons Program for Dupree, the Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates, the Native American Scenic Byway, and the Thunder Butte Community, where she was vice chair. She was also an active member of the Thunder Butte Episcopal Center (TEC).

Denelle’s faith was a cornerstone of her life. A devoted Episcopalian, she was instrumental in the renovation of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Thunder Butte. Her dedication to her community extended beyond her faith—she worked with the Ute Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation to repatriate Ute graves in the Thunder Butte area, helping descendants visit their ancestors’ resting places on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Through this work, she built lasting connections between the two tribes.

One of Denelle’s most cherished roles was coordinating and programming the Cheyenne River portion of the Wounded Knee Memorial Motorcycle Run. She was passionate about raising awareness for the ride, and through it, she traveled to places she had never dreamed of, forming deep and lasting bonds. The friendships she developed—both sisterhoods and brotherhoods—became an invaluable part of her life.

Amid her many pursuits, Denelle met Dave Janis during one of the bike runs. Their relationship grew into something profound and enduring, and they remained together for many years until her passing.

Denelle is survived by her daughter, Martika (Isaac) of Pierre; her beloved Dave Janis and fur baby Joe; gained son, Todd Janis and daughter, Samantha (Kyle) Bourne; mother, Faye High Elk; brother, Woody (Lee) High Elk; sister, Kristi (Mike) High Elk; her in-laws: David and Kathy Janis; sister and brother-in-law, Walter and Angel Janis; grandchildren: Kyle, Violet and Celia Kills Back, Bariah High Elk, and Paeton, Dawn Marie, Remi, and Rayah Janis; nephews: Colin Kills Back and Cambryn High Elk; niece, Fallon High Elk and Raeela Iron Bird.

She was preceded in death by her father, Theodore “Ted” High Elk; paternal and maternal grandparents: Jobe and Estella High Elk and Harry and Annie Iron Bird; uncles: Ernest, Arthur, Wesley, Madrick, Floyd, and Paul High Elk and Alvin and Conrad Iron Bird; aunts: Maxine Takes The Gun, Corrine Red Bird, Ilene Red Bear, and Wendy Eagle Bear; and numerous cousins.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Denelle’s arrangements.

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