Janet Yvonne Traversie
October 29, 1953 – August 6, 2020

Funeral services for Janet Yvonne Traversie, 66, of Lower Brule, SD, were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, at the Lower Brule Community Center in Lower Brule, SD.
Visitation began at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, at the Lower Brule Community Center in Lower Brule, SD.
Burial was at the Holy Comforter Episcopal Cemetery of Lower Brule, SD.
Janet Yvonne Traversie began her spiritual journey the afternoon of Aug. 6, 2020, from Sanford University of South Dakota Medical Center of Sioux Falls, SD, due to health complications.
Janet Yvonne Traversie was born Oct. 29, 1953, at Community Bailey Hospital in Chamberlain, SD, to Lawrence Goodlow and Mary Long Turkey.
She attended elementary school in Lower Brule, SD, and Reliance, SD.
She was part of the first class to graduate in the new Lower Brule High School of Lower Brule, SD, with the Class of 1972.
In 1972, Janet married Duke Estes. No children were born of this union as Duke passed from a tragic hunting accident.
After high school, Jan went on to cosmetology school in Mitchell, SD.
She then returned home to Lower Brule, SD, to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
In 1979, she was united in marriage to Leonard Traversie, Sr. and to this union, two children were born – Starr and Heath.
Janet and Leonard lived in Franklin Park, Illinois, when Starr came into this world. Janet journeyed all over the states with her husband due to Leonard’s employment as a truck driver. They lived in Casper, WY, Boulder, CO, Sioux Falls, SD, and Pierre, SD, where she worked at South Dakota Housing for many years before moving home to Lower Brule, SD, in 2000.
Jan was very active with the treaty committee and sat on the school board. She was active with the Lower Brule School and athletics. Janet had many nieces, nephews and grandchildren who played sports whom
she loved to cheer on!
In her final years, she enjoyed working at the KWO Trading Post with co-workers whom she thought of as family.
Jan has always had a great work ethic, sometimes working up to three jobs to support her family.
Janet has been known for her honesty, her integrity, her bright smile, kindness and her immense love for her family and friends.
She greatly impacted many lives, whether it was family, friends, being involved with youth or on the Treaty Trail.
She will be dearly missed!
Grateful for having shared her life are a sister, Jewel Jandreau and husband, Larry; brothers, Speedy Goodlow and wife, Katie, Loren Goodlow, Tony Goodlow, Herb Goodlow, Sr. and wife, Toni, and Craig Goodlow and
wife, Jill; special nieces/daughters, Lisa Goodlow, Lorenda Middletent and Carrie Middletent; a daughter, Starr Traversie and Justin; granddaughters, Summer Estes, Arianna Traversie, Courtney Traversie, Johnny Estes, Nikki Traversie and Tashia Traversie; grandsons, Nickolas Traversie, Isaiah Traversie and Braxton Traversie; her pride and joy, great grandson, Ryker Heath Allen Estes and all her numerous nieces, nephews and extended family too numerous to name.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Mary Goodlow; a sister, Marilyn Goodlow; a brother, Charles Goodlow; her one and only son, Heath A. Traversie; grandsons, Adrian Traversie and Heath Traversie, Jr.; a granddaughter, Skuya Traversie and a special nephew, Lawrence Flute, Sr.
Hickey Funeral Chapel of Chamberlain, SD, was in charge of arrangements.
The obituary may be seen at www.hickeyfuneralchapel.com.