Helen Frances (“Sissy”) Youpee Ricker, age 79, of Poplar, MT, passed away November 6th, 2021 at the Faith Lutheran Home in Wolf Point, MT.
Helen and her twin brother, Allen Frank (“Sony”) Youpee, Sr., were born to William “Bill” Youpee, Sr. and Isabel Floretta Weinberger March 1, 1942, in Poplar, MT. She attended her early school years in Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore., and graduated from Poplar High School, in 1960. She was an alumna of Montana State University-Bozeman, where she was a member of the Council of American Indian Students.
Helen met George Ricker at the Oil Discovery Celebration in August 1963 and they were married January 16, 1965 at Lindsey Memorial Presbyterian Church in Poplar, MT. They were married for 55 years. They had two sons, George (Skay) Ricker Jr. and William Ricker.
Helen took part and organized many Indian naming celebrations, including her own. Helen’s Indian name “Mahpeya Waste Win” (Good Cloud Woman) was passed down to her first born grand daughter, Erin Jade Ricker.
Helen was involved in the education process at the local level as well the college level. She worked at the Poplar Schools for more than a decade, where she was the first Indian Education Coordinator, and began the program for Instructional Aides in classrooms. She joined the JOM parent committee of the Poplar school system in 1975 and eventually was elected to serve as the director until the 80s. Following her JOM service, Helen served on the Council of Elders at her alma mater Montana State University, Bozeman. She also served as one of the Fort Peck Tribes’ first gaming commissioners.
Helen was proud of her Native American culture and traditions. She was well known on the “pow wow trail” and remembered for her traditional cooking. Helen’s community, friends, and family will remember her as an anchor of stability and, in particular, on how to carry on the ‘ways’ of traditional practices. She assumed the responsibilities of treasurer of the Oil Discovery Celebration committee founded in the 1960s and billed as the largest Indian gathering in the United States.
Helen has touched many lives, especially in carrying out family events and feasts. Helen’s family and friends carry fond memories of loading pick-ups with rations—canned goods, bread and freshly butchered beef from the Youpee cattle herd. Helen’s preparations for such events were enormous, taking place over days, months and sometimes years. Helen was not only an advocate for her culture and family, but also prided herself as a Christian and Elder in the local communities.
Helen is preceded in death by her husband, George Sr; son, George, Jr; grandson, Chaskay; mother and father, Bill and Isabel; her brothers Allen, William Jr., and Danny; brothers-in-law Pete Ramsay and Roy Lafromboise; her sisters Willi (“Chubbins”), Florence (“Red”) and Gretchen; sisters-in-law Roxane Gibbs, Phyllis Culbertson, and BernaDyne White; nephews, Joe Cloudboy, Allen (Junior), William (Billy), Royce Anthony, and David; niece Tracy; grandparents, Helen and Joe Brushorn, Frank Youpee, and George and Ida Turning Bear Weinberger.
Helen is survived by her son, William; granddaughters she raised, Erin Jade and Tamra; her only great-granddaughter, Sophia Grace Ricker, the light of her life; Siblings, Dwight, Josi (Réné), Lori, Cary (Linda), and Marvin (Renay); adopted brother and sister, Albert “Greek” Culbertson and Joan Broomfield; Brother-in-Law, Larry Bussard; special cousins Susie Jackson and Aileen Red Bird; special family members, Jewel Youpee, Eugene Youpee, Marcella Red Thunder, April Youpee-Roll, Vermae Taylor, Kay Culbertson, Marvin (Marjorie) Youpee Jr, Lydania Hagadone, Joey Lafromboise, Nicole Longee, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences for the family may be left using the form below.