Janet Mae Luce-Elrod

Janet Mae Luce-Elrod, 80, was born on September 2, 1944 in Grand Forks, ND to Ole and Viola (Sannes) Tweten. She passed away at the Sanford Foundation Hospice House on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 in Sioux Falls, SD. 

Janet graduated from Central Valley High School in Buxton-Reynolds, ND. She married Gary Soderberg on June 3, 1966 in Buxton, ND. Their son, Jason, was born in December of 1971 in Rapid City, SD. Janet earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Mayville State University in Mayville, ND and taught in Carrington, ND and Fargo, ND. She completed her Master’s Degree in School Administration at South Dakota State University, in Brookings. Janet was an elementary teacher at Douglas Elementary in Box Elder, SD. She accepted the leadership position at Rapid Valley Elementary as Principal. She loved to positively impact children’s lives. As visionary leader, she sparked the community, staff, parents, and children to embrace a culture of change. Their collaborative efforts earned the school the distinction of being the first Blue Ribbon school in the state of South Dakota. She was recognized nationally for this accomplishment and earned the National Distinguished Principal Award in 1998.  

In her retirement years, Janet traveled and enjoyed time with her grandchildren, friends and family. She attended Celebrate Church in Sioux Falls and enjoyed serving as a greeter.

Grateful for having shared her life with her are her son, Jason (Kristi Gustafson) Soderberg of Rapid City; her grandchildren, Alex (Katie Goldring) Soderberg of Winterset, IA, and Allison Soderberg of Winterset, IA; her sister, Shirley (Clem) Moger of Dent, MN; her dear friend, James Sheldon of Sioux Falls, SD; and many loving nieces and nephews; and countless dear friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ole and Viola Tweten. 

Visitation with the family present will be from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Thursday, July 17, 2025 at Miller Funeral Home – Southside Chapel (7400 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls, SD) with a Prayer Service at 6:00 pm. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, July 18, 2025 at the Miller Funeral Home – Southside Chapel with inurnment at Hills of Rest Cemetery (300 N Chapel Hill Rd., Sioux Falls, SD) to follow.