PIERRE, SD – Janis Yvonne Kelley, a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2026, at the age of 91.
Funeral service will be 10:00AM on Monday, August 31, 2026 at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre. Visitation will be for one-hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be at 2:30pm (Mountain Time) in Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD.

Janis was born on February 2, 1935, in Page, ND, to William and Anna (Sogge) Mitchell. She grew up on a dairy farm outside of Glyndon, MN, graduating from Glyndon High School in 1952. She went on to graduate from Fargo Business College in 1954, beginning a long and accomplished career in business and public service.

On December 12, 1958, Janis married Stanley D. Kelley in Fargo, ND. Together, they moved to Sioux City, IA, in the early 1960s, later making their home in the Twin Cities before moving to Pierre, SD, in 1976.

Janis was feisty, fiery, and fun—testing limits in her younger days with fake IDs and closing down the dance halls after long nights of jitterbugging and two-stepping; and, in her later years, fighting to maintain her autonomy and make her own end-of-life choices. She had a strong spirit and a mind of her own and was never afraid to live according to her own convictions. She believed in stability, responsibility, commitment, and the value of hard work, instilling those qualities in her children.

Janis was quietly spiritual and carried her faith in a personal, understated way. She enjoyed the simple pleasures of life as an avid fan of soap operas, including Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless, as well as classic game shows on the Game Show Network. She was also a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan and enjoyed watching football games—win or lose. In keeping with her unmistakable personality, she had a few other enduring loves, much to the chagrin of others–beer and cigarettes!

But without question, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy. She loved her family in her own way, and the values she lived by continue through the generations who knew and loved her.

Janis built an impressive career, working for various insurance companies where she served as a vice president. In 1976, she began her 18-year career with the State of South Dakota. She served as Deputy State Treasurer for 14 years and, in 1990, was appointed by Governor George S. Mickelson to serve as State Treasurer, a position she held from 1990 to 1991.

Throughout her life, Janis was unapologetically herself. She was strong, independent, and never afraid to speak her mind or do things her own way. She cared deeply about the people she loved and stood by them when it mattered.

She leaves behind not only memories, but also a legacy of resilience, determination, hard work, and the courage to live life on her own terms.

Janis was preceded in death by her parents, five siblings, and her husband of almost 48 years, Stanley D. Kelley.

She is survived by three sons: Jeff (Holly) of Pierre; Bill (Yvonne) of Pierre; and Michael McGlothlen (Mabel) of Godwin, NC; and two daughters: Sherry of Dunn, NC; and Nancy (Samuel Hunter) of Mobile, AL. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren: Dan, Greg, Caleb, and Colby of Pierre; Cambria of Tallahassee, FL; Malik Gillespie of Mobile, AL; Mitzi McAndrews of Kansas City, MO; Kelley (Wesley) Williams of Merritt, NC; and Dylan (Lauren) Thomson of Cary, NC; and her three great-grandchildren: Charlie of Pierre; Aiden of Sioux Falls; and Lottie Thomson of Cary, NC.

Janis will be remembered for her fierce independence, her quick spirit, her knack for making up her own mind about people, and, most of all, for the love she gave her family. May she rest in peace.

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