Janet Oldham passed away on July 23, 2024, at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the age of 82.  Prior to this, she had been a resident of Prairie Creek Memory Care Assisted Living for two years. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at Peace Lutheran Church (5509 W 41st St., Sioux Falls, SD.) Family will be present for visitation from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Monday, July 29, 2024 at Miller Funeral Home - Westside Chapel (6400 W. 41st St., Sioux Falls, SD.)

Janet Leone (Gorham) Oldham was born January 5, 1942, in Dow City, Iowa to Kenneth and Lucille (Knutson) Gorham. She attended country school followed by Dunlap High School where she graduated in 1959. She played piano, was a point guard on the girls’ basketball team and was the editor of the school newspaper. Upon graduation, she attended the University of Denver for two years while working as a legal secretary for a law firm. While living in Denver, she met her first husband Stanford Carlisle.  On February 16, 1963, she married Stan, who had served in the navy and spent his career in banking and real estate. They were blessed with two children, Kristine and Steven. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Evergreen Colorado and lastly to Fremont, Nebraska. While living in Fremont, Janet fulfilled a lifetime goal of obtaining her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Midland Lutheran College. Following graduation she began working for Nebraska Methodist Hospital, in Omaha Nebraska, as an Administrative Secretary for the hospital president for a majority of her career. The family enjoyed spending time together playing games, attending church, traveling to visit relatives and annual fishing vacations to Pelican Rapids and Lake Lida in Minnesota. 

On April 6, 1991, she married Leo (Bill) Oldham, who worked in the accounting/finance department at Hormel Foods Corporation in Fremont Nebraska. They met at Fremont Lutheran Church and enjoyed playing bridge, dancing, golfing and spending time with their grandchildren. Her desire for continuing education drove her to complete her Master of Science degree in Health Administration at Nebraska Methodist College. After completing her degree, she accepted a job as the community program director at Nebraska Methodist Hospital. In this role she was responsible for organizing community health education programs and is where she chose to end her successful career and retire in 2009. Janet and Bill also enjoyed traveling to Branson Missouri and Arkansas to visit relatives.   

Following a successful retirement, Janet and Bill relocated to Sioux Falls South Dakota to be closer to her daughter and grandsons. They were active members of Peace Lutheran church, where she participated in WELCA, Friday bible study and Senior Ministries. In 2016 she fulfilled another lifelong dream of visiting Norway with her cousin Judy Haines and members of Peace Lutheran. 

Proud and forever grateful for sharing life with her are her two children, Kristine (Carlisle) Randall of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Steven Carlisle of Westminster, Colorado; 3 grandsons Matthew and Mason Randall of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Beckham Carlisle of Westminster, Colorado along with many other relatives and friends. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Lucille, husbands Stanford and Bill, and brother Gary Gorham. 

Source: https://www.millerfh.com/obituary/janet-oldham