Catka Wiyan (Left Hand Woman), age 74, of Poplar, MT. She was a full blood Upper-Cut Yanktonai Dakota, a direct descendant and granddaughter of Chief Medicine Bear. She was called home on Saturday, November 24, 2018.
Catka Wiyan (Left Hand Woman) was born on March 21, 1944 in the family home in Ft. Kipp, MT. Daughter of the late Jerome, Sr and Nina (Goes in House) First. Karen attended school in Brockton, later earned her GED. She met Aaron J. Hamilton, Sr but later divorced. She lived in Chicago, IL and Oakland, CA briefly. She participated in the Relocation Program. After completing school in Chicago, IL she moved back to Ft. Peck Reservation in 1993. She was employed with the Tribal Courts, in which she stayed until her death. She started as a clerk, then Clerk of Records and Prosecutor Clerk upon her passing. In between on weekends she worked part-time as a Juvenile Officer, Jailer/Dispatcher and at A&S Industries. While working for the Courts, she met her life long partner Alfred “Togo” Lizotte in 1978 whom she later married in 2004.
Throughout her life she liked to attend pow-wows. She loved to watch her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren dance. She could be seen at many pow-wows throughtout Native country. She was on the original Poplar Indian Day committee in 1993. She was on Iron Ring committee in 1989 to 1993 they then became Poplar Indian Days, and her family helped the pow-wow Poplar Indian Days in one way or the other to this day. The family held a contest in 2018 in honor or her during Poplar Indian Days, she was very happy with the honoring of her.
She loved to bead, making beadwork for her children to great grandchildren, and also made beautiful ribbon skirts and dresses of every category. She made star quilt jackets and Pendleton jackets. She loved to watch her daughters Thomasine Hamilton and Deeanna First play basketball, then granddaughter Aarion Mazawasicuna play.
Her survivors include her children Thomasine Hamilton, Ninette Hamilton, Anthony Dean Hamilton, all of Poplar, DeeAnna First Zuerst of Williston, ND and Tuffy First of Ft Kipp; brothers Jerome (Florence) First of Poplar and Leonard Crow Dog of Rosebud, SD; sisters Bernadine Mandan of Newtown, ND, Esther Hapa of Ft. Kipp and Vermae Taylor of Wolf Point, MT; grandchildren Anthony, Aariann, Adrianna Mazawasicuna of Poplar, MT, Lorree Jo and Lorren Joseph Youngman of Poplar, Aaree GreyBear of Poplar, Brandon Hamilton of Idaho, Isaac Thomas Tapia of Santa Fe, NM, Jasmine Bridges of Poplar, Jacob and Jalen Belgarde of Brockton, Corey Schindler of Wolf Point, Courtney GreyBull of Poplar, Megan First of Utah, Brett First of Utah, Kentrell First of Wolf Point, Jacob, Justin, Josh, Kevin Jr, and Grace First of Poplar, Antoine, Dion, Taress First, Seneca, Simarron, Kadence, Channing, Kay Jay Quannah, Calvy First, Lakota, Kwayden, Conway, Kye, Raycine and Kyle First of Ft. Kipp, Kendall First of Canada, Diamond and Dominic First of Arizona, Amy and Christopher Gone of Washington, Wacey and Wesley GreyBull of Poplar, Leigh Spotted Bird, Grant Ferguson of Poplar; nieces and nephews Patty, Helen, Shanna, Kevin, Chris, Wesley, Dee, Lynn, Bear, Thomas First, special niece Dawn Follows the Road of Helena, Nellie Garfield of South Dakota; Great grandchildren Owen, Lottie, Lillianna, LeeRan, Landrea, Lyonis, Lyonil, Kyle, Reese, aaron, Alicia, Aaliyah, Holy Bear, Kayden, Jospeh Jr., Uriyah, My Ree, Liam, Tiar’e, Maximus, Ryan, Noah, Cal, Kyson, Trenton, Treston; adopted children Joel Rae Ferguson of Poplar, Doreen Ferguson of Poplar, Jackie Lee Chase of Wolf Point, LaFon Copenhaver of Wolf Point, Imogene Lilley of Wolf Point, Arlyn Haeddress, Lonnie Headdress of Wolf Point, Brian GreyBull of Sisseton, SD, Jimmy Joe Lizotte of Poplar, Howard Bemer of Poplar; close friends Babes Pritchard of Poplar, Sarah Figueroa of Wolf Point
Preceded in death by parents Jerome and Nina First; grandparents Edward Medicine Bear, Thomas Goes in House; brothers Reno, Frederick, Calvin, Robert, Calvin Robert First, Leland Spotted Bird; sisters Christine, Wilma First, Winifred GreyBull, Catherine, Carole, Viola, Melvine Spotted Bird; adopted daughter Francine LeMay; nephews Del and Wayne First, Harold GreyBull; great grandson Aaron Thomas First; husband Alfred “Togo” Lizotte, Sr.
Extended families Black Dog, White Eagle, Perry, Steele, BuckElk, FourBear, Johnson, Spotted Bird. Anyone who we may have forgotten please accept our apologies.