Mass of Christian Burial for Elaine Kanable, 82, of Mound City will be at 10 AM, Monday, October 5, 2026, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Herreid. Burial will be at the church cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be at 5 PM with a prayer service at 7 PM Sunday at the church. Elaine passed away Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Ava’s Hospice House in Sioux Falls.
Elaine Bernadette (DeVoe) Kanable was born to Minert and Pauline (Dutton) DeVoe at Sparta, WI on June 8, 1944. She was the youngest of six children.
Elaine grew up in rural Tomah, WI and attended Tar Valley grade school. She graduated from Tomah, WI High School in 1962. She attended one year of college at River Falls State College.
Elaine met the love of her life, James (Jim) Kanable, at a birthday party on January 19, 1956. They were married on October 5, 1963 at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Tomah, WI. They moved to Pollock, SD, where Jim had a Vo-Ag teaching job.
Six children were born to Elaine and Jim: Joan; James, Jr; Jannette; Jacquelyn, Joni and Joel.
In 1972 Jim became the Campbell County Extension Agent and they moved to a farm by Mound City while Jim remodeled their house in town. They moved into town in 1973 where they resided for 52 years.
As her children grew and attended school, Elaine passed the time and kept busy cooking at numerous cafes in the Mound City/Herried area and attending sporting events. She was a longtime member of the Pollock School Board and helped create the NorthEast South Dakota Special Education group. Elaine was also active in CCD, Altar Society, choir and communion minister at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Herreid, SD, as well as, 4-H leadership, Mound City Homemakers Club and the Mound City Garden Club.
After Jim retired, they continued to keep busy attending sporting and school events of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren and volunteering as first responders, fire fighters, SHINE, Feeding SD and State Park hosts. Elaine even substitute taught at the Herreid School.
Elaine still found time to bake, can, make jelly and jams and she made the best apple pie bars with the apples from their orchard. Elaine had such a fun-loving, spunky personality that she earned the nickname “Silly Grandma” by her great-grandchildren.
In the fall of 2025 Elaine moved to Wilmot, SD to be closer to Jim who resides in the Wilmot Care Center. She spent many hours in the Care Center helping and participating with their activities and weekly rosary prayer time.
Elaine passed peacefully at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD, on September 26, 2026, surrounded by her loved ones. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
Elaine is survived by her husband Jim of 63 years, children Jim (Kim) of Ipswich, SD; Jan (John) Van Beek of Webster, SD; Jackie (Mark) Rau of Leola, SD; Joni (Nathan) Eberhart of Clear Lake, SD and Joel (Sarah) of Sioux Falls, SD; grandchildren Adam and Kari Kanable, John (Jessica) Van Beek, Kaitlyn (Lance) Weber, Jenna Van Beek, Jordan Kanable, Ethan, Caleb, Aidan and Elizabeth Kanable; great-grandchildren Jace, Callen and Brielle Weber; brothers James (Luella) and Donald (Louise) DeVoe; sister-in-laws Kathy DeVoe, Sharon DeVoe, Judy Asen, brother-in-law Jerry Kanable and numerous nieces and nephews.
Elaine is preceded in death by a daughter Joan in infancy, her parents, brothers Walter and Raymond, sister Margie, parent-in-laws Jesse and Florence Kanable, in-Iaws Dorothy and Jake Zingler, Lois Kanable and John Asen.
