Janice Elaine (Lewis) Denke was born October 24, 1947 in Burke, South Dakota to Herman Manford and Ella Anna (Michael) Lewis. Janice was welcomed home by her brother Jerry, from northern Keya Paha County, Nebraska. In the years to follow, Janice was accompanied by three sisters. In the spring of 1957 the family moved to Bassett, Nebraska where Janice graduated from Rock County High School with the class of 1966. After attending the National College of Business in Rapid City, South Dakota, Janice returned to Bassett and remained there until early 1969 when she moved to Hot Springs, South Dakota. Janice lived a short time in Lincoln, Nebraska and Mitchell, South Dakota, but resided in Rapid City, South Dakota the remainder in her life. Janice had a lifelong love of animals ranging from baby chickens, cows, dogs, cats, hamsters, and guinea pigs. Her special love was for birds which started with parakeets, cockatiels, canaries, and eventually graduated to exotic birds like African grey parrots, Quaker parrots, and Caciques. The birds brought a plethora of noises, feathers, smells, and all that comes with it to her home. Janice had an abundance of love to give to her loved ones and the animals she kept. Janice was preceded in death by both her parents and brother. She is survived by her ex-husband and best friends Mike and (LuAnn) Denke of Rapid City, South Dakota, her children, Michelle (Troy) Runge of Omaha, Nebraska, Amy (Cynthia) Bacon-Novak of Shawnee, Kansas and Jennifer Bruns (John Cramer) of Rapid City, South Dakota. Survivors also include 7 grandsons, 2 granddaughters, 3 sisters, Joan Lewis and Nancy Wipf of Weeping Water, Nebraska and Frieda (Eldon) Penn of Yukon Oklahoma, and many nieces and nephews.