Edward Whiteman

Edward Posey Whiteman, Jr., affectionately known as Jr. or “Poison” left for the other side camp on November 10, 2018. His Indian name, lishuush shiile iiwaaaa ichliash', Has Good Fortune with Yellow Eagle Plume, was given to him by Joseph Ten Bear. He was a member of the Whistling Water Clan and a child of the Ties The Bundle Clan. Jr. was born on October 13, 1946 to Edward P. Whiteman Sr. and Josephine DeCrane-Whiteman. He had 75 first cousins altogether on his Decrane-Goes Ahead side which he was always proud of. When he was a toddler, his parents were swimming in the Little Horn River and did not notice that he was missing. His blind grandfather, Matoon Old Horse, who was also in the water, felt him bump his legs and saved him from drowning. On another occasion, while walking with his dog, “Chips”, a rattlesnake nearly bit Jr. and Chips saved him by killing the snake. Despite these mishaps, we were fortunate to have him in our lives for this length of time and will be missed by all who knew and loved him. He strongly believed in the Crow Way of life, thus respected the Clan System, Sweat Lodge, and Sundance. After he completed his four fasts in the Sundance, he loved to sing at Sundance. He was always there to support family members who were dancing. He said this “punched his ticket to heaven.” Junior was also a devout Catholic and member of the St. Charles Mission Parish. He was an altar boy and graduated from the St. Charles Mission in 1962. He graduated from Edgar High School in 1966. He attended Browning High School in Browning, MT, during his freshman year while his older sister Geneva was teaching there. After high school, he briefly attended Powell Jr. College and transferred to Haskell Indian Jr. College in Lawrence, KS, and graduated with an associate degree in Drafting. Later, receiving his apprenticeship to be a brick layer from Kansas City Bricklayers Union. Junior was a natural athlete and played basketball, track, and football while in high school. He ran in the one-mile race and placed first or second alternately with his brother, the late Chester Turns Plenty. He recently told his grandson, Ian White, that he and Chester would have a cigarette after placing in a race. In 1964, after returning from a business trip, Jr.'s parents stopped to watch him play basketball in the tip-off held in Fromberg, Mt. Unknowingly, his dad watched the game like any other basketball game and to his surprise, Jr. had made the starting line-up as a starter. He was so proud he shed tears of happiness. He continued his dad's family tradition by supporting the local Native American teams, but #1 was always the Plenty Coup Warriors up until his death. He was given the “Best Fan” award in 1996 for his dedication to the Plenty Coups Warrior's Team. He was especially proud of his grandson Kevion Ladson and was looking forward to watching him play football and basketball for the Plenty Coup Warriors. He was raised in the Crow traditional way of life and was an accomplished Arrow Thrower. He was a lifelong participant in hand games and loved playing for the Arrow Creek (Pryor) District and looked forward to it every year with his family. He led the Pryor district to Championship back to back in 1983 and 1984, and two more championships in 1992 & 1996, he received “The Best Guesser” award all four-years and still holds the record. He was given a race horse as one of the awards in 1983 by Sonny Joe Reed. He later gave it to his son Chan who named him Jake. His latest passion was horse racing and Indian relay. He had an Indian Relay Team with his grandson Ian; their team names were: Wild Horse Ridge and Bull That Shows. He won the Princess Stakes in 2016 with Country Boys Roll during Crow Fair. He played softball for many years and had a team with his children, nieces, nephews and cousins. He retired after his goal of playing with his grandson Ian. Although he was older than most of the players, he was one of the fastest runners. They won Gold at the Big Sky State Games in the 1997 men's division. In 1988 when Co-Ed was founded his team were the league champs. He was very much loved by his parents and no expense was too much for them. He always had quarter horses and his favorite horse was Boomerang who won many races for him. He won the Crow Derby with Boomerang in 1967. As Boomerang got older he gave him to his little sister Valeen on the condition that she stayed on him as he was a high-spirited horse. He was a good horseback rider and started riding as soon as he learned how to walk. He loved animals and always had dogs and cats at the house. He and his sister Valeen would talk about animals like they were their kids. He always believed, that animals had special medicine. Jr. worked as a brick layer most of his life and drove the Pryor Highschool bus and worked as a janitor. He worked for the Crow Tribe as the director of the Natural Resources Department and advisor for the 107 committee and served as an advisor of the minerals committee. He served on the Little Big Horn College Board of Trustees, Pryor School Board, and the Crow Land Resource Committee. He was the Arrow Creek District leader for cultural activities. He married the love of his life, Carol Bends Whiteman on November 26, 1969 on Carol's birthday. From this union they had Chan, Quindy, Posey Whiteman, III, Claura, and Keri. After Carol's passing the Bends Family adopted Jr. as their brother. Junior was kind hearted and a humble man. He was a devoted father and loved his children and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and was always there for them. He never missed any of their games in cross country, basketball, football, or hand games. He was on his way to watch his granddaughter, Coral Old Bull, play basketball on his last day in this world. Nothing made him happier than watching his grandchildren play sports. He loved to tease his sisters-in-laws. He impressed everyone he met with his friendliness, generosity and kindness. When he was working in Kansas City, he and his wife, Carol, used to take Crow students to dinner while they lived in Lawrence, Kansas. He especially loved children; he was the only one that was able to calm his niece, Casey Kills Pretty Enemy, when she was a baby. He loved children so much he was always asking his nieces and nephews to give their new babies to him. He always took in his nieces and nephews and helped raise a number of them. All of the Whiteman family depended on him. All babies gravitated towards him no matter where he was. As the patriarch of the Whiteman family of Pryor, he was fair minded and never took sides as he loved all of them. Thank you to the Pryor Community for gathering and helping his loved ones at the time of our beloved Pops passing, for the food and support during our time of need. Jr. was preceded in death by his father Edward Posey Sr. and mother Josephine Whiteman, his wife Carol, his brother Norman Whiteman, Grant “Buck Shot” Stewart, Tommy Boy DeCrane, Chester Turns Plenty, Duane Costa Sr., Orie Plain Bull, Gordon Plain Bull, Carl Venne, his sister Velma “Cookie” Bell Rock, his uncle Harry “Bozo” Whiteman Jr., nephew Dione Bell Rock, adopted daughter Tana Shane and adopted brother Myron Little Light Sr. He is survived by his sons Channis (Dr. Gerlinda), Edward "Posey", III and Ian (Kayleigh) White, adopted son John “Push” Whiteman; his daughters, Quindy (Everett), Claura, Keri. Adopted Daughters Mary Wall, Alma Rose Wall, Belle Laverdure, Seja Plain Bull and numerous others. His grandchildren; Charine (Ashton) Old Elk, Chantel, Chandra Whiteman, Coral Old Bull, Quade Tallwhiteman and Kevion Ladson. Great-grandchildren; CaMeila Old Elk, Caelyn and Cayton White. His Brothers Channis (Norma) Whiteman, Calvin “Uugaash'ee Butch” Herrera Sr., Keith Reece, Eugene Red Star, Robert Fitch, Phillip Whiteman, Calvin Brush, Vernon Turns Plenty, and Burton Pretty On Top Sr., adopted brother George Little Wolf Jr.; His sisters Geneva Whiteman, Jolene Kills Pretty Enemy, Valeen Plain Feather, Carol Good Luck, Victoria Stewart, Connie DeCrane, Anna DeCrane, Josephine Wall, Patricia Laverdure, Dora Hugs, Nancy Sleeper, Alberta Wall, Carla Whiteman, Nelly Whiteman and Caroline Whiteman; adopted sister Charlene Laverdure, Louise Farewell, and Aunt Agnes (Larry) Pretty Weasel. Special Friends Eymard Left Hand, Corn Little Light, Willie Stewart, Willie Stewart, Gary Reed, Vernon Whiteman, Coolidge Jefferson, Benito Brown, John Adams, Bernard “Buzzy” Covers Up, Phillip “Sonny” Beaumont Jr., and Larry Duane Old Elk. His extended family include DeCrane, Turns Plenty, Goes Ahead, Thomas, Falls Down, Bear Cloud, Crooked Arm, Williamson, Yarlott, Wall, Morrison, Hugs, Round Face, Singer, Black Hawk, Bear Ground, Takes Horse, Wilson, Plain Feather, Old Horn, the family of Frank “Pollick” Plain Bull, and Bullchief.