Janice Nelson

Dates

Obituary

Janice Nelson, 96, of Sioux Falls, formally of White Lake, SD, passed away Thursday, May 21, 2026. Memorial Service will be 6:30 PM Saturday, May 30, at the Halladay-Peterson Chapel of Dow Rummel Village. Burial will be 3:00 PM Sunday, May 24, in Underwood Cemetery in rural White Lake, SD. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Janice Wava Nelson was born March 17, 1930, in Green Bay, WI to Norbert and Elsie (Nohr) Thiele.  She died May 21, 2026, at the age of 96.  In her youth Jan lived in Denmark, Chilton, and Green Bay, WI graduating in 1948 from East High School.  She moved to Canistota, SD in 1949 with her parents. 

On May 17, 1958, she married Myrle Nelson in Sioux Falls, and they took up residence in Mitchell.  Jan assisted Myrle with the youth camping program in his position as the Conference Director of Youth Work and Camping for the South Dakota United Methodist Church. A highlight during this time was flying with Myrle in his Cessna 172.  In 1963 they moved to the family farm north of White Lake where Jan assisted Myrle with the farming operation.  In 1967 they began Nelson Tax Service in which they served clients until Myrle’s death in 2003.  In 2006 Jan moved to Sioux Falls where she resided until her death.

The farming years were lean, but Jan excelled at providing for her family through her frugality, gardening, mending, meal preparation, and selling cream and eggs to Natvig Produce.  The family enjoyed many Nelson family gatherings, visits to sister Arleen and Erv Ortman’s Canistota home, and tent camping outings.  Jan made sure that her daughters had the opportunity to take piano, marimba, and voice lessons even though it meant many miles of travel. 

Jan’s greatest accomplishment was raising her three children to love Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives and seeing each of them lead a life of service to others.

Jan is survived by her children, Chris (Penny) Nelson of Pierre, Sandra (Chad) Lee of Colman, and Sue (Steve) Jensen of Dakota Dunes; sister, Arleen Ortman of Sioux Falls; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Myrle; parents, Norbert and Elsie Thiele; and sister, Marion Jensen.

Service

Cemetery