Willie Stewart

Willie Stewart Sr. ii'kiuu pee' daa'kaa'ke', “His hat is a Bird”

went to the other side camp on March 24, 2024.

Willie was born November 11, 1948, in Crow Agency to Lincoln Stewart and Daisy Anderson.

He was raised by his grandmother Faith Stewart-Sings Good and later raised by Warlene Comes Up and Amous Jason Dawes Two Leggins. He was born into the Piegan clan and later became a member of the Big Lodge clan as he was raised by Faith Stewart Sings Good and Child of the Big Lodge Clan. He received his education at Hardin High School and graduated from Edgar High School in 1968.

He later attended college in California at Sawyer Business College from 1968-1969 and finished at Eastern Montana College (MSU-B) with an Education Degree. He began a career as a teacher in Hardin, MT, and Little Big Horn College. He worked at Westmoreland- Apsáalooke mine (Sarpy mine) and retired from there after working 20 plus years.

He spent his life growing up between Crow Agency, Black Lodge and Pryor. He was always free spirited and enjoyed life. Willie moved to Pryor when he was 5-year-old with Faith Stewart-Sings Good in the White house on the hill. He would love to share his stories about growing up in Pryor. They would ride horses to the bus stop, from there they were bussed two miles on a gravel road to Edgar school. His stories always consist of him playing basketball, where he was a class C state basketball champ in 1966. When Willie attended Hardin High School for a time, he was adopted by Marie Pretty Paint-Wallace and made their place his home for a time. He would talk about being the Quarterback for the football team in Edgar, and of his times fishing at Lost Creek, riding horses, throwing arrows and spending time in the mountains. When he was in high school, he traveled to Washington DC, he was selected from his class for his high achievements in academics. He attended two years of upward bound and would always encourage his family and friends to pursue their education.

In 1975-1976, Willie directed Bicentennial Commission grant to the Crow Tribe for an expansion of the Crow Fair Grounds, the Arbor Renovation, major events, and a feast for celebrity guests. The powwow became intertribal with well-funded competitions in all categories. The All-Indian Rodeo and Race Meet brought nationally known Indian rodeo cowboys and cowgirls to Crow Country. Guest from the Northern Plains, Oklahoma, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada came to the encampment and took part in the daily feasts and powwow.

During the academic years 1977-79, the Crow Central Education Commission opened a Community Education Program, coordination by Willie. This program offered Red Cross training for Home Nursing, First Aid and Advanced First Aid. He negotiated college credits for this training with Miles Community College. Willie was instrumental in bringing Senior VISTA to the Crow Country, including retired doctors, nurses and emergency services specialists from Florida and North Dakota. They organized assistance with the Crow Tribal Emergency Response Team when Little Big River flooded in 1978.

Willie went on to be a school advocate/counselor for Native Students at Hardin school District and later did his student teaching at the Hardin High school for his degree at Eastern MT college. He later taught at Little Big Horn college and was the girls' basketball coach. He took his team to play at all the Tribal colleges and left a huge impact on these young athletes.

Willie was a strong member of the Native American Church and participated in the Sundance and Sweatlodge. He loved to play hand games, throw arrows, play Bingo, and MC at events he was invited to. Willie had some of the best playlists on the Crow Reservation and had a love for all music. He was the Medicine Man for the Pryor District hand games and played with the Black Lodge district. He loved to MC for the Arrow Creek District Arrow Tournaments. Willie mentored many at the coal mine and encouraged them to work and provided for their families. In a documentary Willie was captured speaking about the “Black Rock” and his job on blasting crew and how it created jobs for the Crow members. He went on and talked about hand games and how they represent their district, families, clans, mother, and fathers. He took pride in his culture, work ethics and preached to everyone that education was the most powerful thing in the modern world.

He had a life filled with jokes, laughter, and the best stories. He would take his children around to visit family and friends and made sure they had the skills of fishing, hunting, horsemanship, and gathering teepee poles. He was known to have some of the best-looking paint horses. He loved throwing some of the biggest family gatherings at “Willies corner”. The day would start with butchering a cow as the family gathered for a feast that would consist of Menudo. The gathering would always end in a sweatlodge. He was a family man and loved his children and grandchildren the best he could.

He loved traveling, especially to Las Vegas and would often take his grandkids to other states so they could compete in the AAU circuit in basketball. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren playing sports and riding horses and was their #1 fan in all that they did. He had many friends that he enjoyed laughing with at different events. His children and grandchildren and great grandchildren were his pride and joy.

He had nicknames for all the grandkids and great grandkids. He never allowed his children or grandchildren to go without. Willie loved to feed everyone and would randomly drop groceries off to his family members. In his later days you would always find him cruising the town of Crow Agency, eating at Red Lobster, or sitting in the stands at his grandchildren's games. He loved to share his family's achievements and the color of his grandkid's eyes with pride. Willie always had a smile on his face and made sure that his grandchildren knew their culture. His love for his family and friends was so strong that his presence will be deeply missed by many.

Preceding him in death were his grandparents Thomas Yellowtail and Ruth Anderson, William Stewart and Mary Owl Above, Parents Daisy Anderson Leider and Lincoln Stewart. Siblings: Maudine Stewart, LaBerta Rondeau, Woodrow Stewart, Iron Joe Stewart Sr., Gary Stewart, Irma Lion Shows, Emard Stands, Irvin Stewart- Sings Good Sr. Grandchildren: Tessie Rae Stewart and TieFast Fraser.

Willie is survived by his children Millie (Gene) Kazhe, Willie Lance Jr., Clarent (Athena) Stewart and Magi (Kyle) Fraser, Lenny Turnsplenty, grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, siblings Warlene Comes Up, Pamela Stewart-Sings Good, Carmela Brown, Louella Merchant, Irving Stewart-Sings Good Jr.

Extended family: Anderson, Yellowtail, Leider, Stewart- Sings Good, Owl Above, Bull Tail, Wallace, Whiteman Runs Him, Moccasin Top, Rise up, Bends, Medicine Crow, Fritzler, Trospher, Peas, LeftHand (Canada), Hogan, Mable Pretty on Top Family, Takes Horse, White Clay, Froz, White fox, Tobacco, Real Bird, Dawes, Big Leggins, Bear Cloud, Pretty Paint, Bull Horse, Wolfbowl, Mary Medicine Dance, Bird Hats, Round Face.

If we have forgotten anyone, please forgive us in this time of mourning.

A funeral service will be held at Dahl's Funeral Chapel on March 30, 2024, at 11:00 AM followed with the burial at the Stewart- Sings Good cemetery in Pryor, Mt.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Clarent Stewart.

We will forever cherish the memories of Willie and his impact on our lives.