Jan Endes, age 70. of White River, South Dakota, died on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at the Kadoka Nursing Home.
All family is asked to gather at 10:00 a.m. CDT on Saturday, August 9, for a quiet time together before others arrive.
Memorial Services will be held 11:00 a.m. CDT Saturday, August 9, at the White River Community Events Center (501 3rd Street) in White River. A meal and fellowship will follow the service.
Private family interment will be held at a later time at the White River Cemetery.
Jan Rae (Woods) Endes of White River, South Dakota passed away on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the Kadoka Nursing Home. Jan was a 20-year breast cancer survivor. In the last two years of her life, she faced a new challenge with bone cancer, for which there was no effective treatment. She met each chapter of her journey with grace, strength, and unwavering spirit.
She was born on November 22, 1954, to Ray and Peggy (Risewick) Woods in Winner, SD. She was the oldest of five siblings, three sisters (Sue, Linda, Anita) and one brother (Dale). The family lived in Colome, SD, where she attended and graduated from Colome High School in 1973.
After graduation, she earned a degree from National College of Business in Rapid City, SD. She told many stories about attending college and how she enjoyed her work at the library. She moved back to Winner where she worked for Tripp County in the Auditor’s office for several years. She began attending Square Dances in the White River area with her cousin. While attending these dances, she was introduced to Tom Endes. They thoroughly enjoyed traveling the local area and square dancing together.
On September 18, 1993, Jan married Thomas E. Endes. They spent many years caring for the ranch. In her free time, Jan enjoyed planting flowers each spring to beautify their country home. She loved to cross stitch and work with plastic canvas in creating many items such as organizing boxes and amazing doll furniture, which she often gifted to her nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. She also loved to read, do puzzles, and collect movies. She was an encyclopedia on actors and actresses from many classic movies.
Jan dedicated much of her life to the White River Lions as Secretary and Tom as President and Treasurer. Together they traveled the state participating in State Conventions and area activities. You could always find Jan lending a hand—whether helping with the Santa event at the Mellette County Museum or decorating for local Trunk-or-Treat festivities—creating lasting memories for community members in the area.
As the daughter of a WWII Bomber Pilot, Jan had interest in joining the Air Force but couldn’t meet their weight requirements due to her petite size. She was passionate about helping military veterans and was a member of the Winner VFW #4674. You could always find Jan volunteering by making Veterans Christmas tree ornaments for the many Veteran Christmas trees in Winner, White River and the State Capitol in Pierre. She helped construct and place beautiful evergreen wreaths in neighboring cemeteries to honor our many veterans. She served in many local, state and national offices including secretary, vice president and president. She shared her musical talent by serving as State Musician and most recently was the Assistant National Musician. She chaired many local, state and national chairmanships. She loved to travel to many states to attend national meetings. Her favorite destination was Hawaii where Jan loved the warm breezes coming off the ocean. She and Tom enjoyed a special trip to Orlando, FL where they spent time on the beach and visited the Kennedy Space Center. Jan was the best grandma, always bringing back a small treasure from her travels.
Jan loved her family. She had a great knowledge of her family history. She loved to share stories about her parents, her years growing up with her siblings, the house fire they experienced, and time spent with her nieces and nephews. During the summers, when her nieces and nephews were young, her home became a revolving door of week-long visits, filled with ranch adventures, river fun, and evenings spent at local square dances.
Lealand and Jennifer Schoon, along with their children—Seth, Adrik, Jesse, Reagan, and Brielle—became like family to Jan and Tom, with the children holding a special place in their hearts as grandchildren. Jan would always create fun treats for each of them, crafted beautiful doll furniture and cross stitch pieces, loved to go shopping with and spent most Holidays together. She would always save some treats that she had for community events for the Schoon children. Though Jan and Tom did not have children of their own, they found great joy in spending time with their nieces and nephews, and later in life, with neighbors who became like grandchildren to them.
Jan was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in White River, SD for many years. She was a very gifted musician and played organ for the church in White River and Mission for many years.
Jan is preceded in death by her parents Ray and Peggy (Risewick) Woods; sister Susan Brozik; brothers-in-law Lonnie Brozik and Michael Neitzel; sisters-in-law Viola Kranenberg and Edith Stapperfenne.
Jan is survived by her husband Thomas Endes of Kadoka; her non-biological children, Jennifer and Lealand Schoon of White River; and their children, whom she loved as grandchildren – Seth, Adrik, Jesse, Reagan, and Brielle Schoon. She is also survived by her siblings, Linda (Gary) Bowers of Holdrege, NE; Anita Neitzel of Tyndall, SD; and Dale (Regina) Woods of Cabot, AR; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Marie Amen of Hagerman, NM; John Endes of Casper, WY; June (Jim) Land of Gillette, WY; and Ernest Endes of Carlsbad, NM; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, family, and friends.
Memorial Donations may be sent in care of the family to the South Dakota Lions Foundation SFSD or the VFW National Home, Easton Rapids, Michigan.
Cards and memorials may be sent to P.O. Box 215 White River, SD 57579.
Arrangements are with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.
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