Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin, and friend passed away from a heart attack on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. Our dear one is no longer suffering from his many health issues.
Sheldon Ray Youpee was born on April 26, 1965 to Sharon Fay Youpee in Poplar, Montana. At a young age he was adopted by his mother’s parents, Jim and Jeannette Youpee. He grew up in Brockton and played basketball all through high school. He graduated from Brockton High School on May 20, 1983.
Sheldon loved being outdoors. His favorite activity was hunting. He spent many evenings with each of his children and both of his grandsons, sitting down in the brush, watching for the deer to come out. He also loved to take a ride up north, as the sun was going down, watching for deer and other animals. He had many hunting buddies. He remembered all their hunting trips.
Sheldon started working when he was 14 years old for the CETA program. He did odd jobs around Brockton like yard work, mowing lawns and hauling things away. When he was 18, he worked in the oilfields. He started working with his stepdad, Calvin Red Thunder, Sr. He worked his way up to working on the rigs.
He worked at A&S Tribal Industries in the netting department. He liked pulling edge cord the most. It was while working at A&S, he met and married his wife, Ilenda Jane Thompson. Their first two children, Sean James and Tiffany Rae were born during this time.
Sheldon’s next job was working for the 1990 Census. When that job was over, he worked as Animal Control Officer with Gale “Dusty” Menz. During this time, their youngest son, Jim Thomas was born.
Sheldon achieved his Commercial Truck Drivers License in 1993 at Fort Peck Community College. He then worked for Mark Rite Lines of Billings and helped create the turning lanes through Poplar on Highway 2. Sheldon’s favorite job was truck driving. He worked for Riverside Contracting of Missoula for many years hauling hot mix asphalt, and different types of gravel and dirt across the state of Montana, rebuilding the roads and highways.
He missed his family, being away so much, so he got jobs closer to home. During this time his youngest child, Maria Joy was born.
Sheldon worked for the Fort Peck Tribes in several positions. He was a bus driver for Transit and for Headstart. He worked for the Community Services Program, delivering meals to the Brockton, Riverside, and Fort Kipp elders, helping Violet Buck Elk in the Brockton Center.
He then went back to truck driving for M.A. Deatley of Clarkston, WA. They rebuilt Highway 2 from Brockton to 10 miles east. When that job ended, he worked at Commodities as Warehouse Manager. After that, he worked as Weatherization Maintenance Supervisor, again helping the area elders, and supervising the community service workers.
Sheldon went back to truck driving yet again, for the Indian Reservation Roads program. He worked there seasonally, until he permanently broke his foot, on the job.
His last job was working for Fort Peck Housing Authority as Resident Services Counselor, until he became disabled.
Sheldon was very honored to have won the drawing for a buffalo hunt. He skillfully dropped the buffalo with one shot, hitting it right behind the ear. He considered this one of his greatest hunting achievements.
Sheldon met many people at his various jobs and remembered everyone. He was a kind and caring man and always wanted to help people. He loved his family most of all and we all were blessed to be loved by him. He was “Papi” to his grandson, Ben; “Grandpa” to his grandson, Dane; “Chepa” to his “Gram”; “Big Ray” to his “Dad”; and “Cheps” to his childhood friends.
He was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Tiffany Rae; his grandparents, Jeannette Cloud Youpee and Lester “Jim” Youpee, Sr.; his sister, Denise Red Thunder, his stepdad, Calvin Red Thunder, Sr.; his uncles whom he was raised with as their brother, Joe, Russell ”Gus”, Gary, Bob, Sr., Tommy, and Lester ”Big Son”, Jr. He is also preceded in death by his cousins, John “Thunder” Red Thunder, Jr., Kenny Devereaux, Jr., Joe Boyd, Sr.; nephew, Rocky Clark; nieces, Valerie Youpee and Dani Jo Youpee; aunt and uncle, Dolly Mae and Wayne Boyd, Sr.; aunt, Linda Red Boy; great grandparents, Helen Lester and Joe Brushorn, Frank Youpee, Rebecca Campbell and Moses Cloud. He is also preceded in death by his brother in law, David Thompson, and sister in law, Leslie Thompson.
He is survived by his wife, Ilenda, his daughter, Maria, sons, Jim and Sean, grandsons, Benjamin Lane Brown and Dane Riley Follette, and his granddaughter, Harper Rae Hopkins, his mother, Sharon, sister, Angeline (Miguel), brother, Calvin “Chick” Jr., aunts whom he was raised with as their brother, Jamie Kay, Jeannette “Kate”, Millie (Marion), nieces, Jen’Ette (Taylor), Shanel (Clay), Maria, Denise, Jeanette (Vernon), Windy Sioux (Eric), Millie (Felix), Heather, Karen (Erik), Sophina, Edith (Landis), Summer, Johnelle, Jamie, Grace, Colleen, Jennifer; nephews, Jared (Stacy), Seth, Tommy Joe (Tiana), Brandon, Shilo, Raymond “Sonny”, Ira “Totsz” Jr. (Olivia), Bob “JR”, Marion “Moose” Jr, Leslie, Kelly, Raven, TeeJay, Breyten; cousins, Kevin, Samson, Wayne “JR” (Mia), Debi (Faron), Valerie, Jodie, Machelle, Waynette, Sharon (Ash), parents in law, Dennis and Sarah Thompson, mother in law Lenda Logston, brothers in law, Jonathon and Ben (Denise), sisters in law, Gina, Emmamae (Mike) and Gennie, and all of their families.
Sheldon made many friends throughout his life. He will be remembered for his expertise as a truck driver, his skill as a hunter and for his honesty, integrity and intelligence.
“FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS”
Due to COVID-19 guidelines we are asked to keep attendance at the services limited to 30 individuals. Masks are required for all public services.
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