Janice Helmer, age 91 of Spearfish, died Sunday, March 29, 2026 at the Heartland Senior Living Center in Spearfish.

The funeral service will be held 10 am Friday, April 3, 2026 at the Belle Fourche Global Methodist Church. There will be no visitation. Interment will take place in Pine Slope Cemetery. 

Janice Nada Lindstad was born November 6, 1934 in Lemmon, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Emil and Lucille (McVey) Lindstad. As a young girl, Janice would spend part of her summers at her Grandma Minnie’s home in Bison. In 1939 the family moved to Belle Fourche where Janice played saxophone in the school bands, the Cowboy Band, and the Lindstad Family Band. While in high school, Janice worked at the Belle Theater and J.C. Penny’s. After graduating in 1952, she married her high school sweetheart, Don Helmer, on August 24th of that same year. Together they lived on the Helmer Ranch, located southeast of Belle Fourche, where Cindy and Mike were added to the family. In the fall of 1955, along with Don’s parents John and Blanche, Don and Janice purchased the ranch located across the road, and moved there. Jana and Scott rounded out the rest of the young family there.

Janice enjoyed taking care of the bum lambs every spring. The family also raised Appaloosa horses and spent much of the summers training and showing horses. Janice taught leathercraft to the kid’s 4-H club, and the family always had western belts with their name on the back. She was also the coach for Jana and Scott’s softball teams and was in the women’s bowling league. She collected antique bottles and loved searching old ghost towns in the Black Hills with her dad any of the kids that wanted to tag along. Another pastime was rattlesnake hunting with her “snake charmer” shotgun.

In the late 1960’s Don and Janice took in a foster child named Dean. Dean became a family member for a couple of years. In 1985 they moved to their ranch by Spearfish Creek, where she kept busy creating a beautiful yard and serving as a CASA volunteer. After Don’s passing in 1999, Janice moved to Spearfish where she continued to live until her death.

Janice is survived by her daughter, Cindy (Charlie) Johnson of Belle Fourche, and their children: Kerri and Joni; son Mike (Lori) Helmer of Beulah WY, and their children: Lacey, Tarina, and Ryan; daughter, Jana (Matt) Hoffman of St. Onge, and their children: Janesa, Marie, and Kelsie; son, Scott (Elizabeth) Helmer of Trion GA, and their children: Seth, Trent, Margaret, Forrest, and Haley. She is also survived by 21 great grandchildren; and 1 great great grandchild; brother, Wayne Lindstad of Spearfish; and sister, Joan Dingeman of Spearfish.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; grandson, Michael Johnson; sister, Betsy Mosely; brother-in-law, Paul Dingeman; and sister-in-law, Mae Lindstad.

The care and the kindness shown to Janice by Heartland Home Senior Living and Hospice was excellent and greatly appreciated.

Celebration of Life Service

10:00 A.M. – Friday – April 3, 2026

Belle Fourche Global Methodist Church

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Officiant - Pastor Paul Howard

Music

Processional Hymn – “How Great Thou Art”

Solo – “Come to Jesus”

Solo – “In the Garden”

Debra Leverington, soloist

Judy Howard, pianist

Casketbearers

Shawn Darling Chance Lange

Seth Helmer Bryan Hermanson

Trent Helmer Bill Rhoads Ryan Rhoads

Interment

Pine Slope Cemetery

Belle Fourche, South Dakota