Janet O’Hara

Pallbearers are Tate O’Hara, Trever Slate, Aaron Gilbertson, Jay Gilbertson and Shane Toupal.

Janet was born August 3, 1961, in Yankton, South Dakota to James and Alice (Fischer) Slate. She grew up in Yankton and graduated from Yankton High School in 1979 where she was very active in music and theater. In 1980, Janet won Miss Yankton and was one of ten finalists for Miss South Dakota. Janet loved music. She wrote and recorded a number of songs and sang in a competition in Nashville. In 1981, Janet married Tim O’Hara and they moved to Anaheim, CA, for Tim’s career. Janet worked as a secretary for an office supply store and then for a construction company. She also cleaned houses for many different people. They lived in California for eight years and then moved back to Yankton to start their family. They had two children, Tess and Tate. Janet worked for the Yankton County Treasurer, painted and cleaned houses for Century 21, and then ran an in-home daycare for several years. After their divorce, Janet purchased Donna Mae’s Lingerie which she owned and operated for around five years. Then she worked at various manufacturing jobs before becoming involved with Ability Building Services. She managed one of the group homes where she would cook and provide care for the residents. Janet was also very active in Yankton’s Dave Letterman Show to help raise money for the Lewis and Clark Playhouse. Her diminishing health forced her to retire two years ago. Janet had an amazing sense of humor. She loved to laugh and have fun. She was a free spirit who never took life too serious. Janet was very out-going, loved people, and was extremely trusting — almost to a fault. She will be greatly missed.

Janet is survived by her two children, Tess O’Hara of Yankton and Tate O’Hara of Fargo, ND; mother, Alice Slate of Yankton; brother, Ron (Gretchen) Slate of Yankton and their family; two half-brothers and two half-sisters and their families.

Janet was preceded in death by her father, James Slate.

Yankton Press & Dakotan

January 28, 2023