Dorine Rae Young Bear (Pejuta Wakan Wi) our beloved Mom, Sister and Aunt passed on to be with the Creator at the Trinity Hospital in Minot, ND on Thursday, January 28, 2010 after a long battle with rheumatoid arthritis and its complications. She was born on June 25, 1956 in Poplar, MT to Clifford and Sylvia (Half Red) Young Bear. She was an enrolled Sioux of the Ft. Peck Tribes on her mother’s side; on her father’s side, she was Hidatsa, a child of the knife clan, as well as an adopted member of the Chicken clan. She was given the Indian name of Pejuta Wakan Wi “Holy Medicine Woman” by one of her maternal grandmothers. She was a life long member of the Red Eagle Memorial Presbyterian Church.
The eldest of four daughters, she was raised in Fort Kipp, MT and attended Brockton Elementary School and Poplar High School. She was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated with honors in 1974. She also attended the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks where she earned a B.A in English and a B.A in Native American Studies in 1982. In 1990 she received her Master’s degree in Education from Montana State University in Bozeman. She was working on the thesis for her Doctorate degree in Education from MSU when she was stricken with rheumatoid arthritis, which ended her educational career.
While attending the University of North Dakota, she met the love of her life, Hugh “Bo” Drags Wolf, of New Town, ND; together they had one son. Noble was born in Williston, ND in August of 1986. She and her family resided in Bozeman while she attended school; they then moved home to Ft. Kipp, MT and later made their home in New Town.
In her younger years, Dorine was a champion Fancy shawl dancer and held various positions on several pow-wow committees. In 1970 she was one of three representatives chosen by the Oil Discovery Celebration pow-wow committee to represent the Ft. Peck Tribes at the Miss Indian America Pageant in Sheridan, WY. She made many acquaintances and lasting friendships throughout her travels in Indian Country, especially within the pow-wow and educational circles.
During her professional career, she held positions within the North Dakota and Montana University systems; and was formerly the Academic Dean and later Acting President of the Ft. Berthold Community College; she also worked for the Brockton Schools and the Ft. Peck Tribes. She was a past member of the Montana Education Association, the North Dakota Indian Education Association and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. She received many recognition and appreciation awards for the work she did in education.
She is survived by her son, Noble of New Town; one brother, Mike Thomas Sr. of Ft. Kipp; four sisters, Carol Bemer of Ft. Kipp, Trivian Nault and Norman of Grapeview, WA, Marva Young Bear-Three Stars and Harry, Lynette Boyd and Eugene all of Ft. Kipp; one niece, Lynnell Rodriguez of Shelton, WA; six nephews, Cody White Bear of Minot, ND, Frank and Talburt Half Red, Harry III and Ethan Three Stars all of Ft. Kipp and Christian Nault of Grapeview, WA; one granddaughter, Kaleah White Bear; one grandson, Kaiden White Bear; maternal aunt, Mercy Whitebear; and paternal aunt, Vivian Bullhead.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hugh Drags Wolf; parents, Clifford and Sylvia Young Bear; her maternal grandparents, John and Ruth Bull Eagle-Half Red; her paternal grandparents, David and Cora Coursolle-Young Bear. She will be truly missed by her family and her many relatives and special friends.
A Wake will be held Monday, February 1, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. and Funeral Services will be Tuesday, February 2 at 10:00 a.m. all at the James Black Dog Center in Fort Kipp. Interment will follow at the Fort Kipp Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at csmc@nemont.net or www.stevensonandsons.com. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.