Margaret "Jeanette" (Follette) McElwain, 91, died on Thursday, July 6, 2026.

Jeanette was born July 9, 1935 in Lead, SD to Everett and Margaret (Parsons) Follette. They lived in Lead until she was six and they moved to a small farm between Whitewood and Sturgis. She attended a small country school that was just over the hill from the farm. They moved back to Lead when she was in the 5th grade and returned to the farm when she was in the 7th grade. She graduated from Sturgis High School in 1953. She attended the college in Spearfish where she studied business which included shorthand and bookkeeping. She worked various jobs in Sundance, WY, St. Louis, MO, Rapid City, SD and Casper, WY as a secretary and bookkeeper.

In July 1955 she started working in Sundance, WY at the welfare office. She met her future husband, Herman Lee McElwain, shortly after moving there. They were married on October 30, 1955 and was only 26 days short of their 64th anniversary when Lee died.

They adopted three children: Darrell Lee, Kenneth "Kenny" Darwin and Lorna Lynn.

While living in Casper, WY she went back to school when Casper College began an AD nursing course. She was a member of the first graduating class of RNs from Casper College. She worked as an RN in the Casper Hospital and after returning to South Dakota worked in Deadwood, Spearfish and Sturgis Hospitals until retiring.

She is survived by nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She is also survived by a brother Charles (Sharon) Follette of Whitewood.

Jeanette was preceded in death by her parents, Everett H. and Margaret Follette, her husband Herman Lee, her daughter, Lorna Flack, two sons; Darrell and Ken, her sister Nancy Frey, her brother, Everett L. Follette and a grandson Travis McElwain.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.