Franklin Bear Looks Running

Franklin Bear Looks Running, 89, of Cherry Creek, passed away Friday, April 20, 2018 at I.H.S. Hospital, Eagle Butte.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. MDT, Saturday, May 5, 2018, at Cherry Creek Gym, Cherry Creek, SD with Pastor Mike Weaver and Richard Charging Eagle presiding. Burial will follow in Big Cottonwood Family Cemetery, Rural Cherry Creek. A wake will be held at 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 4, 2018, at the gym in Cherry Creek, with a procession at 5:00 p.m. from the hill east of town.

Franklin Lincoln Bear Looks Running was born February 12, 1929 at the Old Agency to Frank D. Bear Looks Running-Waloke and Phoebe Crow. At the young age of two Franklin “Nege” was adopted by Eugene and Lois Montley of Big Cottonwood due to Nege’s mother’s passing. Nege was raised at Big Cottonwood Creek. He moved to Cherry Creek in the 1950’s and started singing at pow-wows and attending the open rodeos where he would ride saddle bronc and bareback. When Nege injured his hip, he sat at the drum more often and attended numerous pow-wows all over the nation. In 1955 when Nege was missing, his sister, Arlene, was the one to help the Montley’s find him and bring him home. In 1998 Franklin moved back out to Big Cottonwood where he lived the remainder of his life with his sister, Arlene Demery, and her family.

Nege found humor in everything in life and loved to tease the young and old alike. He loved life and celebrations of all sorts. He was one of the original Red Scaffold Singers and attended the longest walk and went to Washington DC with AIM in 1973.

Nege enjoyed his long-lived life and enjoyed reading. He kept up on all the happenings through the Lakota Times, Teton Times and the West River Progress newspapers. He also loved sports, a good game of horse shoes and WWE wrestling.

All that knew him will miss him, Ate, Lecsi, Lala.

Franklin is survived by his sister, Arlene Demery, and brother, Sylvester (Dena) Waloke.

He was preceded in death by his parents and many other relatives - too many to mention.

Luce Funeral Chapel of Eagle Butte has been entrusted with Franklin’s arrangements.