Vera “Jan” Janese DeGeest was born on July 2, 1937, in Pierre, SD to Leon and Vera (Boal) Jackson.  She attended grades K-12 in Presho and graduated in 1955.  Jan attended nursing school at the Methodist Hospital in Mitchell, SD and graduated with an RN degree in 1958.  She worked at the Chamberlain Hospital after graduation.

      She was united in marriage on June 19, 1959, to Roy DeGeest and they moved to Canistota where Jan worked at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home from 1959 until 1982.  After having back surgery, Jan opened a daycare in her home where she took care of many children and loved each one of them as her own.  After Roy passed away on June 10, 1984 and her son, Ron, graduated from high school in May, 1986, Jan moved to Plankinton, SD to be closer to family.  Jan worked at the Aurora Brule Nursing Home in White Lake, SD from 1986 until she retired in 2003.  Later in October of 2003 she was diagnosed with colon/rectal cancer.  Jan lived at home until she moved to Bormann Manor in Parkston in November 2009.  She enjoyed watching all kinds of sports especially the Atlanta Braves and seeing her granddaughters whenever she could.  She was a member of the Methodist Church.

     She is survived by her son, Ron and wife, Donna; three granddaughters:  Shauna, Kendra and Maci Jo all of Dimock, SD; one brother, Larry Jackson and wife, Sue, Gillette, WY; three sisters-in-law:  Connie Jackson, Lexington, NE, Ruth Taylor and Mary Califf both of Armour, SD; two brothers-in-law, Vern DeGeest, Corsica, SD and Dennis DeGeest and wife, Kitti, Plankinton, SD; nine nieces, seven nephews and several great-nieces and great-nephews.  Jan was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, a brother, Gary Jackson; a sister-in-law, Ardis DeGeest and two brothers-in-law:  Bud Taylor and Dale DeGeest.