There was a book written called “The Greatest Generation”, a book on men living & fighting in the WWII Era: a time of poverty & self-sacrifice. There were women there also- one of them was our mother.
Mamie Robertson Dupree, 95 years old, went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, November 15, 2017. At her side in the Curley Lockman Comfort Room of the Poplar Hospital, supporting her in her final journey were Jennifer Jones (granddaughter), Eli Jones (great grandson) and Myra Dupree (daughter).
Mom was the first child born to Jeremiah & Mabel (Keeble) Robertson in Grenville, South Dakota on April 27, 1922. She had 3 brothers and 4 sisters. The youngest and surviving brother, Pastor Wilbert (Judy) Robertson continue to serve the people of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux reservation. Mom talked of her family’s transportation being a wagon & horses, of attending boarding school at a very young age and of becoming a nanny in Minneapolis right after high school. Soon thereafter, with encouragement from a physician, she enrolled in a nursing school in Lawton, Oklahoma, which taught nursing skills to Native American women. It was there she met Louise “Three Stars” Smith. Together they came to the Fort Peck Reservation to serve their payback for their medical education. When they arrived by train to the Poplar depot, they asked if someone would call them a cab. An ambulance was sent to pick them up instead! Thereafter, Louise and mom were life long best friends, calling each other sister. It didn’t take long for these pretty young ladies to be “snagged” by a couple of handsome young men and be swept up into the Fort Peck Assiniboine-Sioux Tribes. John K. Dupree and mom had 3 sons and 2 daughters; Ron Robertson of Wolf Point, Myra of Poplar, Jack(Elisa Filemoni) of Signal Hills, CA, Dorothy(Johnny Ostrom) of Billings and Tom(Lorraine Leise) of Whitefish. Through these children, they were blessed with 14 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.
Our Mother enjoyed quilting, crocheting, baking, knitting, keeping up with CNN, crossword puzzles and picture puzzles. She was always up to a game of Scrabble- with a competitive gleam in her eyes! She attended church faithfully, read her Bible daily and practiced intercessory prayer for all her loved ones and those she felt a burden for- especially missionaries. During her nursing career, laws changed, requiring her to take the new “MT Licensed Practical Nursing Exam”. She passed it on her first attempt. She went from RN duties of starting & titrating IV’s, dispensing medications, giving injections, night charge nurse, assisting Dr. Swanson with delivering babies and working in ER Trauma to the newly enforced LPN duties. She never complained.
Adversity is the test of Faith. Mom was tested. The years the locusts had eaten from her are now being restored! We give God thanks for her great strength! You are missed mom, not only by your children, but also by the many you have touched over the years.