Our beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Sister Michele Rene Headdress Buck Elk, passed away peacefully at Faith Lutheran Home on Saturday, April 6, 2019.
Michele was born June 13, 1954 to Dale and Norma Gregg Headdress. She was the 7 th of 13 children and the first girl.
Mom grew up west of Wolf Point until the age of 8 and then the family moved to Poplar. She attended schools in Wolf Point and Poplar, later earning her GED. She moved to Oregon and worked at the Kah-Nee-Ta Resort on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. She spoke fondly of her time there and the people she met. She moved back to Montana where she met the love of her life Michael Ray Buck Elk of Fort Kipp. They were married June 4, 1974 at the LDS church in Poplar. From this union they were blessed with 3 children. Carson, Alysia, and Michael Buck Elk.
She began her career with the Fort Peck Tribes in 1974 then moving on to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs where she started as a probate clerk and eventually worked her way up to Realty Officer when she retired in 2009 after 35 years of service. Mom loved helping her native people and she was highly respected in the field of probate.
After retirement from the BIA she took on a job at Fort Peck Energy working in the Oil Industry. She then contracted with the Fort Peck Tribes to write wills for our tribal members. She continued this work until her health declined. Mom loved to garden, bead, attend pow-wows, fish and attend her grand childrens sporting events. She was their #1 fan. She loved spending quality time with her grandchildren, they were her world.
Michele is survived by her children Carson (Kiedra) Buck Elk, Alysia (Brandon) Williamson, Michael Buck Elk and Cloelle Buck Elk; 10 grandchildren, Tristin, Joseph, Sarah, Jonah, Ian, Andrew, Paul, Clay, Emily, and Savannah; 3 great-grandchildren, Peyton, Aariyah, and Donovan Vallie; 8 brothers, Dale (Kayleen) Headdress, Charles Headdress, Arlyn Headdress, Henri (Patty) Headdress, LeRoy Headdress, Sheldon Headdress, Lonnie (Juanita) Headdress, Larry (Pearl) Headdress; 3 sisters, Shannon (Bernie) Gonzalez, Ione (Jay) Hanson, and Doris Headdress Thompson; brother-in-law Robert Buck Elk; sisters-in-law Gloria Yankton, Bernadine (Arthur) Mandan, Roberta (Charlie Moran) Baker Juanita and Adelaide Baker; aunt Vivian Pankowski; and over 70 plus nieces and nephews.
Mom was preceded in death by her parents; husband Michael Ray Buck Elk; granddaughter Rachel Williamson and brother Mitchell Headdress.
A prayer service will be held Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 7 p.m. at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, April 12, 2019 at the Wolf Point Community Hall. Burial will be at the Headdress Family Cemetery 3 miles west of Wolf Point.
Isaiah 40:31: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as Eagles. They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements and condolences may be left for the family by using the form below.