March 23, 1938 – Jan. 12, 2024

Funeral services for Janice Marie Kiest, 85 of Sallisaw, were held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at Agent Mallory Martin Chapel in Sallisaw.

Burial followed at Akins Cemetery in Sallisaw under the direction of Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Service, Inc.

Mrs. Kiest was born on March 23, 1938, in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., to Rosina (Kline) Mergelkamp and John J. Mergelkamp, Jr. She died on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, in Sallisaw.

She was married to Don Ray Kiest on Jan. 12, 1957, in Champaign, Ill. He preceded her in death on Nov. 27, 2010.

She worked beside her husband who was a horse trainer, then worked in the horse track offices at Ross Meadows and Blue Ribbon Downs. She was a cashier at Walmart for 20 plus years and a member of St. Xavier Catholic Church in Sallisaw. She enjoyed planting flowers.

Survivors are two sons, David Kiest and Diane of Mahomet, Ill., and Mike Kiest and Anna of Sallisaw; nine grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Carol Smith of Moberly, Mo.; and other relatives and friends.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; a son, Tim; daughter-in-law, Lori; and sister, Mary.

Pallbearers were Justin Haywood, Steve Dodd, Kevin Macon, Jason Russell, Bill Griffin and Curtis Toon.

Honorary pallbearers were Bonnie McKeehen, Dick Ater, Don Sizemore, Carl White, JD Anderson, and Durk Perry.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.