Janet Marie Kirkland peacefully slipped from our world to the heavenly one on April 6, 2026 after a yearlong battle with stomach cancer and a lifetime of love.
She was born September 4, 1953 to Robert and Blanche (Moell) Travis in the small town of Mobridge, South Dakota. As the third born of five children living on a street in the middle of the town, she was always surrounded by love and excitement. After the sudden and tragic loss of her mother and younger brother when she was ten years old, her family, friends, and community were there to support and help raise her. This is when she began spending copious amounts of time at her older sister’s dairy farm outside of the tiny town of Trail City, South Dakota. The support of her community, the lessons of the farmland, and the immersive experience of being involved in caring for her sister’s growing family were all foundations that shape her life.
After graduating high school she loaded up her gremlin and left her small town. She spent the next several years moving around to places such as Bismark, Chicago, Denver, and Phoenix. Then in 1978 she loaded a horse trailer and moved to Helena, Montana, the place she would call home for the rest of her life.
It was in Helena that she was introduced to the man she would be married to for almost 45 years, Mark Kirkland, and raised their three children, Travis, Stephanie, and Maren. She put to good work all that she had learned about caring for a family. And it wasn’t always an easy family to care for; Travis was mischievous, Stephanie was chronically ill, and Maren was acerbically outspoken. Despite the difficulties that motherhood brought her, she excelled at being a loving and supportive mother and later an absolutely magnificent and doting grandmother. Though she only ever had three children of her own, dozens of others called her mom as she cared for all kids who came into her life as if they were her own.
It was in Helena where she built a 34 year long career with the Department of Agriculture, pulling from her time spent on the farm and the respect she had learned for the agrarian way of life. She did a multitude of jobs throughout the department which led to relationships forged with people from Lima to Sidney and everywhere in between. At the end of her career she was working in pesticide application licensing, a job that took around the state to communities of every size and put her in contact with what seemed like every farmer, rancher, and aerial applicator in the state.
Janet pulled from her childhood experience of the strength of community and returned the kindness to her own community as an adult. She was heavily active at St. Peter’s Episcopal church as a Sunday School teacher, once being awarded a national teacher of the year award. She was involved with the alter guild and ECW where she not only cared for the church itself, but for the members. She delivered alter flowers to the ill and isolated, cared for the families mourning the loss of their loved ones, and put countless hours of work into decorating the church for every season. As far as her granddaughter was concerned, grandma was in charge of the church and it was hers. She also spent several years as the chairperson of Funland at the Festival of Trees, where she organized and directed activities for children at the highly popular community event.
Janet was preceded in death by her daughter Stephanie VanDyke, brother Bobby Travis, mother Blanche Travis, father Bob Travis, and mother and father-in-law, Barbara and Robert Kirkland. She is survived by her husband Mark Aubrey; son Travis; daughter Maren and son-in-law Ryan Weber; and granddaughters Morgan and Mica Weber, all of Helena. She is also survived by her siblings Barbara Keller of Killdeer, ND; Tom (and Doreen) Travis of Stevensville, MT; Sister Jackie (and Bob) Hanson of Mobridge, SD; Brother Steven (and Gwen) of Colorado; sister Lisa (and Derrick) of Chicago, IL; and Stepmother Linda of Wisconsin. She also leaves behind 16 surviving nieces and nephews and at this point a seemingly innumerable number of grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. She will be missed dearly by countless people across the town, state, and country who have been with her through so many different stages of her life.
The family asks that any donations in her memory be made to St. Peter’s Episcopal church or to Light a Life, a fundraiser for St. Peter’s Hospice Program; both organizations were insurmountably helpful through her end-of-life journey. The family further wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Darbinyan and the Cancer Treatment Center and Dr. Molly Lane for their excellent treatment and compassion.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Cathedral, 511 Park Avenue.
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Saturday April 11, 2026
St. Peter's Episcopal Cathedral
511 Park Avenue
Helena, Monatna 59601
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Saturday April 11, 2026
St. Peter's Episcopal Cathedral
511 Park Avenue
Helena, Monatna 59601
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Caleb Dalton says
I’m so sorry to hear about Janet she was a wonderful lady and the super nice lady at church she will be missed by so many at church including me
Phylis Shanahan says
I’m so sorry for your loss. She was an amazing lady. I’m going to miss seeing her. I will be out of town for services. Prayers for strength in the days to come.
Brad Culver says
Janet was a foundational force in her field, helping to shape the lawn care industry in Montana from its earliest days. When the state needed its own professional organization, she played a key role in supporting AMTOPP—the Association of Montana Turf, Ornamental, and Pest Professionals—and in building the licensing and training standards that helped a young industry grow with integrity and professionalism. Her influence reached far beyond her own work, and her absence will be felt by many who benefited from her leadership, dedication, and vision.
Christel Dinges says
To Mark and family,
My deepest condolences. I always loved to see you come into Van’s. You were always so kind and thoughtful. I still remember her smile.