Funeral services for 66-year old Arlen Janis are Friday, Feb 4, 2022 at noon at the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Pine Ridge, SD, with the Rev Joan Conroy officiating.
Burial follows at 2:00 at the Gordon City Cemetery in Gordon, NE
Viewing precedes the funeral from 10:00 till noon, also at the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Pine Ridge
Arlen D Janis was born to Anita H (Conroy) Janis and Wilbert Janis on February 4, 1955, in Rushville, NE. Arlen made his journey to the Spirit World on January 23, 2022 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Arlen spent his early life years in Pine Ridgem but his family moved to New Mexico in the fall of 1966 and they lived in the towns of Shiprock, Farmington and Crownpoint.
He graduated from Crownpoint High School in 1973 and attended Northern Arizona University for one year. While he lived in Crownpoint, he met his future wife.
His family moved back to Kyle, SD, in 1974 and on August 24th of that year Arlen married Elizabeth (Bennett) Janis at St Barnabas Church in Kyle and they went on to spend 47 years together.
Arlen’s early employment included working as a Ranger for the Oglala Sioux Tribe, a supply clerk for IHS in Pine Ridge, and with a road crew from the BIA Road Department.
In 1980, he began working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Land Operations, Fire Control Division, and by the late1980’s was serving as the Fire Management Officer (FMO).
During his time as FMO, he and others developed the Great Plains Fire Dispatch Center, and were able to expand the fire department for the Pine Ridge Agency.
He worked as FMO for many years, then transferred to the branch of Land Operations where he served until his retirement in December of 2015.
Arlen will always be remembered for his generosity, courage, compassion and, most of all, his sense of humor. He will be dearly missed.
Arlen was preceded in the death by his maternal grandparents Thomas Conroy and Jeanette (Ross) Conroy; paternal grandparents Roy Janis and Josephine (Palmier) Janis; parents Wilbert and Anita “Penny” Janis; brother Wilbert Rodney Janis; daughter Anita Georgine Janis; grandson Jordan Lee Janis; and great-granddaughter Lexis Rose Rogers.
Arlen is survived by his wife Elizabeth (Bennett) Janis; son Daniel; daughter Andrea; all from Pine Ridge, SD; granddaughters Stella Richards of Oglala SD, Kimberly (Janis) Lopez of Ft. Hood, TX, and Danielle and Elizabeth Richards, both of Pine Ridge; grandson Arlen Roy Janis of Pine Ridge; sisters Deborah (Janis) Cordier and Kay Janis, both of Pine Ridge; brother, Ross Janis of Batesland, SD; 8 great-grandchildren, and countless relatives and friends.
Arrangements entrusted with Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge, SD