Janice Straka, 86, Renowned Hospital Administrator and CEO

Janice Rae Straka, a longtime hospital administrator and community leader, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86, Skroch Funeral Chapel reported.

She died at The Neighborhoods at Brookview in Brookings, South Dakota. Her life spanned decades of professional service in healthcare administration and a deep commitment to her faith and community, moving from the rural farms of South Dakota to the San Francisco Bay Area before returning to her roots.

Born in Flandreau, South Dakota, on June 21, 1940, Jan was the daughter of Wilber and Arnola Gullickson. She spent her early years on a farm located between Brookings and Flandreau, attending Coleman Country School for her primary education before graduating from Flandreau High School in 1958.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern State University in 1962, Jan began a teaching career that took her to Rapid City, Battle Creek, and California. Her professional trajectory eventually shifted toward administration, leading her to earn a Master of Public Administration degree from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

This advanced education supported a 25-year career in leadership roles. She served as a hospital administrator and as the CEO of a multilevel retirement community. Throughout her tenure in the healthcare sector, she focused on the dignity of life and worked extensively with church-sponsored organizations.

Beyond her executive responsibilities, Jan helped develop the next generation of healthcare leaders. She mentored ten individuals through the Administrator-in-Training program, guiding them toward becoming licensed nursing home administrators in California.

Jan married William Douglas in 1969 and was widowed in 1974. She later married Emil Straka in 1988. The couple lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years before retiring to the Central Coast of California, where they spent two decades.

Retirement did not signal an end to Jan’s professional engagement. She continued to serve in various consulting and interim CEO positions while dedicating significant time to volunteer work. Her expertise in administrative, personnel, and government regulations made her a frequent resource for local organizations.

Her civic involvement included serving on a homeowners’ association board and acting as president of the Five Cities Newcomers’ organization. As a lifelong Lutheran, she was deeply integrated into her church ministries and remained an active member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings following her move back to South Dakota.

Jan was an avid traveler who visited 48 of the 50 United States. She found particular connection to her Norwegian heritage through trips to Norway, which she noted as her favorite European destination. In her personal time, she found artistic expression in crafting, having created more than 1,000 handmade greeting cards.

After 51 years of living in California, Jan and Emil relocated to Brookings to be closer to family. She often made the journey from California to South Dakota to attend large family gatherings and class reunions.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, William Douglas; her husband, Emil; her parents, Wilber and Arnola Gullickson; her brothers, Dene and Gene Gullickson; her sister-in-law, Jan Gullickson; her brother-in-law, Verlyn Nelson; and her nephew, Ryan Gullickson.

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