Carlton Roberts

Carlton Louis “Cowboy” Roberts left this world in a tragic car accident the morning of November 22, 2024, in Billings, MT. He was born on October 3, 1988, in Lander, WY, to Myron George Goes Ahead and Barbara Ann Roberts and was a member of the Crow and Eastern Shoshone Tribes. Cowboy, a nickname given to him by his dad, was raised in Ft. Washakie, WY. After the death of both his parents and his adopted mother, Aunt Beverly Roberts, at the age of 15 in 2003, he moved to Pryor and Billings, MT, to be raised by his Aunt Rhea Goes Ahead, who took him as her son and became a mom to him. Cowboy was a child of the Ties the Bundle clan as a member of the Crow Tribe and was a descendant of Chief Plenty Coups. He graduated 8th grade from the Ft. Washakie Elementary School and went to Lander High School, eventually obtaining his General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Cowboy attended both Little Big Horn college and MSU Billings College of Technology. Cowboy moved to Riverton, WY, to attend Set Free Ministries. After successfully completing the 90-day program, Cowboy became a member of the Set Free Ministries staff and stayed in Riverton for a total of 18 months. He lived with Pastor Richard, who mentored him. Through Set Free ministries he became a believer in Jesus Christ and got acquainted with the Word of God. He was a member of Billings Full Gospel Revival Tabernacle, where he loved to sing gospel songs, with his favorite song being, “Create In Me a Clean Heart”.

Cowboy loved to cook and developed his culinary skills while working as a cook at Cracker Barrel in Billings, MT. His recent job was as a cook at Bernie's at the Northern Hotel, and he was excited to start his new job at Rib & Chop House this coming week. He was tech savvy and good on computers. You could depend on him to repair riding lawn mowers, work on cars and anything else needing repair around the house. Cowboy had a sharp mind and could figure out how to repair things, especially with the assistance of Google. Whenever his late uncle Elias Goes Ahead got medication from Pryor Clinic, he'd be requested to go online and find out what the side effects were.

Cowboy was known for his easy-going, gentle nature which provided him with the unique ability to make friends with just about anyone. His big smile and infectious laughter became his trademark. Cowboy loved all of his nieces and nephews and had a special bond with his niece, Vivian Goes Ahead Pretty, who he made sure to spoil with love and toys. He respected and loved his Aunty mom, who took care of him to the end of his life. Cowboy had a very close relationship with his big sister, Candace April “Candy” Goes Ahead. They would call each other, write letters and do zoom calls if necessary. They just knew how to contact each other. Cowboy with being around his grandparents, Cartie and Ruby Goes Ahead's residence in Pryor growing up, was also close to his cousins who were brothers and sisters to him, Zarah, Judah, Jaris, Sidney, Grubbz, Rheanna, Lenita and Gabrielle Goes Ahead and Christian Lopez. After the death of his grandparents, Cartie and Ruby Goes Ahead, his mom, Rhea, moved into their house in Pryor in 2007 and raised him along with Judah, Jaris, Lenita and Rheanna. And then Uncle Elias moved in too. The menfolk always had fun blaming each other if anything went wrong around the house. Uncle Elias would blame Cowboy and Judah, and then Cowboy and Judah would blame Elias. They would never admit who did it and it was always a mystery. Cowboy and the boys had to help clean the house and their chores were listed on a sheet and had to take turns washing dishes, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping the floor, washing towels and mowing the lawn. It wasn't a Native traditional home where the women did all the work. Motto was “you mess up, you clean up.” Cowboy was the cook in the house. He could survive if left by himself but not Judah and Jaris back in the day.

Cowboy was preceded in death by both his parents, his paternal grandparents, Sylvester “Cartie” and Ruby Goes Ahead, his maternal grandparents, Louis and Lillie Roberts. His uncles, Elias Goes Ahead I, Emerson, Rex, and Rudy Roberts, Aunt Beverly Roberts; cousins, Adrian and Lenita Goes Ahead; and nephew, D'Allen Chaz Tushka.

Surviving Cowboy are his sisters, Candace April “Candy” Roberts and Valeena JoJo Medicine Horse; his girlfriend, Ruth Kocherhans; his uncles, Leonard Roberts, Carlson Duke (Ginger) and Dana (Karen) Goes Ahead; Auntie Mom, Pastor Dr. Rhea Goes Ahead and Aunt Marilyn (Pastor Jay) Simpson; cousin-brothers, Judah (Misty), Jaris, Sidney, Elias Grubbz (Jess) and Garren Goes Ahead, Carl and Zach Monroy, Larry “Charlie” Rondeaux, Joel (Kimberly) Simpson and Brandon Covers Up; cousin-sisters, Christian Lopez, Lachelle and Londa (Jason) Simpson, Zarah, Rheanna (Kevin), Katelyn (Laine) and Gabrielle Goes Ahead, Angel Monroy, and Benny Roberts Strocks; and grandmother, Agnes Goes Ahead Pretty Weasel, nieces and nephews, Jessi White Clay, Micah Other Medicine, Mikki and Kylee Jo Tushka, MyKynzii, Vivian, Alitheia, Jazmine, Jaziel, LeVonne, KeShawn, Alexander, Taliyah, Elias III, and Harper Goes Ahead, Kleo, Keenazhi and Susmeja Hugh Little Owl, Icely Haugen, Brayden, Arabella, Cereignity, Adrian, Anastashia and KaTori Yazzie, Drew and Matthew Tsosie, TJ Takes the Gun, Ryland Shane, Jaydence and Natalie Sky Simpson, Lucy, Kaya, Ruby, Ezra and Bear Lopez, Clarke'l and Tyson Rondeaux; special friends, Lionel Shepherd, Justin Oleyte, and Heather Small Rondeaux.

His relatives, Roberts and Amboh of Ft. Washakie, Goes Ahead, DeCrane, Iron, Walks Over Ice, Turns Plenty, Morrison, Old Horn, Hugs, Big Lake, Plain Bull, Lion Shows, Rock Above, Plain Feather, Big Hail, Wall, Old Crane, House, Big Medicine, Caplett, Jefferson, Wilson (Charges Strong), Brass, Otter Stays in Water, Black Hawk, Yellow Mule, and Hunts the Arrow families. Cowboy comes from a large family and forgive us if we inadvertently left out names in our time of grief. Dahl's Funeral Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.