ST. LAWRENCE, SD – Jeanice C. Stevens, 87, of St. Lawrence, passed away on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at her home under hospice care.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday, September 21, 2026, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wolsey. Lunch will follow the service. Burial will be at G.A.R. Cemetery in Miller. Visitation will be from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., followed by a 4:00 p.m. prayer service on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Reck Funeral Home in Miller.
Jeanice (Christian) Stevens was born to Elmer and Agnes (Ottosen) Christian on May 11, 1939, in Mitchell, South Dakota. She attended Woonsocket High School in Woonsocket, South Dakota, graduating in 1959. Following high school, Jeanice continued her education at Northwest College of Commerce in Huron, South Dakota. She was confirmed in the Christian faith and remained devoted to her faith throughout her life. Jeanice enjoyed participating in Bible study and sharing her faith with others through teaching Sunday School.
On July 26, 1959, Jeanice married Byron “Barney” Harmdierks. Together, they made their home in Huron and welcomed four children. They shared 32 years of marriage before Barney’s passing in 1991.
Jeanice later met Don Stevens at a singles dance at the Larson Hog Barn in Wessington, SD. Jeanice sent him roses with her phone number to get his attention, and it worked. The two married on May 14, 1994, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Huron and spent 32 years together.
One of Jeanice’s favorite pastimes was gardening. What started with a plant or two eventually grew into 400 geraniums—and a few more flower beds to plant them in. Don was never one to spend money on things he considered unnecessary, but when it came to Jeanice, he rarely gave it a second thought—especially when it came to her flowers. Over the years, he helped bring her vision for their backyard to life, building flower beds, pergolas, a swing, a pond, and special beds for the flowers that couldn’t be planted directly in the ground. Together, they transformed their backyard into a place that reflected Jeanice’s love of flowers and Don’s love for Jeanice.
Her passion soon became something she could share with others. For five years, Jeanice opened her gardens for tours, welcoming 200 to 300 people each year to enjoy what she and Don had created together.
Flowers, however, were far from her only passion. Jeanice was a jack-of-all-trades who seemed to master everything she did. Throughout her life, she worked at McHaskell Agency, Music Center, the American Legion, and Carr Clinic. She also worked alongside Don at Don’s Pizza in Miller, South Dakota, for 26 years. For 18 of those years, she simultaneously ran the JCPenney catalog store.
When she wasn’t working or tending to her flowers, Jeanice loved spending time with her family. Whether everyone was gathered for the holidays or for the infamous Family Fun Weekends, she loved nothing more than watching her great-grandchildren run and play together or gathering around the fire to make s’mores. These were the times she caught up with her children and grandchildren, made jokes, played games, and lit up the campsite with a smile and laugh that seemed to tell the world, “This is the good life.” These were moments Jeanice cherished year after year.
She is survived by her husband, Don Stevens; her children: Jeanine Harmdierks (David Fletcher), Emma (Chuck) Kranz, Byron (Jill) Harmdierks, and Montie (Michelle) Harmdierks; step-children: Thad Stevens; Denise (Todd) Mack; many nieces and nephews; 14 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; her brother, Dale (Leora) Christian; sister, Mary (late Ken) Charlton; and sister-in-law, Emma Belle Howe.
Jeanice was preceded in death by her first husband, Byron “Barney” Harmdierks; her parents, Elmer and Agnes Christian; first father-in-law, John Harmdierks; first mother-in-law, Llewella (Dempster) Harmdierks; her brother, Norman Christian; sister-in-law, Ivadell Christian; brother-in-law, Ken Charlton; father-in-law, Williams Stevens; mother-in-law, Dorothy Stevens; and great-granddaughter, Alyssa Grace Spencer.
Jeanice will be remembered for the love, laughter, and personality she brought into the lives of those around her. She was truly a spark to us all, and that spark will live on in the stories, memories, and love shared by those who knew her.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Jeanice’s arrangements.
