Janene Kinney, age 76, of Cavour, passed away Saturday, October 2, 2021, at the Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls.

A service to celebrate her life was held at 2:00 PM, Friday, October 8th, at the Huron Christian Church. Janene's service was live-streamed from the church's website.

Her graveside service was held at 10:00 AM, Friday, October 8th, at the Hillcrest Cemetery at Estelline.

Visitation was from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Thursday at the Kuhler Funeral Home; and from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Huron Christian Church with her family present during that time. A prayer service was held at 7:00 PM, Thursday evening at the Huron Christian Church.

Janene Kaye Kinney was born on July 17, 1945, at Baldwin Park, California. On June 2, 1952, Janene was adopted by Leland and Maxine Skow, of Huron, South Dakota.

She attended the Alley Rural School until the eighth grade and graduated from Huron High School in 1963. She attended Wessington Springs Junior College and Dakota Bible College prior to her marriage. She came from a large-ish family of two sisters and two brothers, who have large families of their own.

On September 30, 1967, Janene married Robert Kinney at Huron. They farmed in Brookings County for fourteen years. In 1983, their family of four moved to the Skow family farm in Pearl Creek Township in Beadle County. The Kinney family farmed until 1999, then Bob and Janene purchased a semi and traveled throughout the United States in their "Big Red Truck" crisscrossing the country, meeting new people everywhere they went.

Janene was a very social person and made friends everywhere. She was involved in many groups ranging from church to 4-H. The family spent many years in the Oakwood Park area, where she and Bob were in a motorcycle group and would meet up with their extended farming families. Janene was a church camp and horse camp cook to many.

Most of Janene's adult life, she was a stay-at-home mom and housewife, but she also had a professional "city" job as she worked at the Beadle County Extension Center for several years as the Family Nutrition Program director.  She also was involved in the 4-H program in Beadle County 4-H Leaders Association. In 1994, she was given the Meritorious Service Award. She also worked at the South Dakota State Fair for many years. She was an employee at the 4-H gate and later served as the supervisor. She enjoyed seeing the people return each year to the State Fair.

Janene was involved in all the activities of Huron Christian Church. She taught Sunday School for 39 years, played the piano and organ, sang on the Praise Team, was part of many Bible study groups, helped with Vacation Bible School and served as a leader with the ladies group.

She cared for people everywhere, all the time. She made many visits to nursing homes, hospitals and sometimes the jails. She has many Missionary friends whom she would write letters of encouragement to. She cooked meals at home then invited new people at Church to come out to the farm.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, John Walters.

Grateful for having shared in her life are her husband of 54 years, Bob of Cavour; two children and their spouses, Krystal and John Daily of Lakeville, Minnesota and Klint and Gretchen Kinney of Huron; and four grandchildren, Jaden Kinney, Joy and her husband, Tristan Fitzgerald, Jerika Kinney and Jairus Kinney.

Janene is also survived by two sisters, Joan and Ronnie Hughes of Luray, Virginia and Jacque McClendon and Ken Masters of Kansas City, Missouri; one brother, Jim and Nancy Walters of Indianapolis, Indiana; one sister-in-law, Geneva Walters of Twentynine Palms, California; and many nieces and nephews.

View Janene's Floral Arrangements