Joan Curley

Joan Amy Curley, 55, of Eagle Butte, passed away Friday, July 15, 2022, at her home in Eagle Butte.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. MDT, Monday, July 25, 2022, at the CRST Bingo Hall, Eagle Butte. Burial will follow in the Iron Lightning Family Cemetery, Iron Lightning. A wake service will be 7:00 p.m., Sunday, July 24, 2022, at the bingo hall with a procession from the 4-Mile at 4:00 p.m.

Joan Amy Curley was born to Cecil and Amy Iron Lightning Curley on May 19,1967 in Eagle Butte, SD. Joan was the youngest of fourteen children, she was the baby of the family. Joan grew up in Iron Lightning, SD and later moved to Eagle Butte, SD. Joan attended school in Eagle Butte and later got her GED. Along with getting her GED she also got a certificate in painting. Joan moved back to Eagle Butte and had different jobs throughout her life. Throughout her life Joan lived in Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Saint Paul, Oregon, and Dupree.

On February 5, 1985, she welcomed her first child, Jonnelle Rae Curley and on March 19, 1998, D’Shawn Star Eagle Chasing. Joan had nine grandchildren: Jeryn Charles, Jhet’Taun, Drew, Kai’Viaun, Khaida, Kelson, CJay, Leroy and Covin.

Joan enjoyed life; she was always ready for a good time. She made many friends everywhere she went. She enjoyed being around her many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. She helped raise some of them throughout her life.

Joan’s adopted families: Jaeson Starr, Carmen, Kaye, and Floyd Annis, Patsy Long family, the late Duke and Carole Dupree families, Russell and the late Cordelia Benoist families, Eagle Staff family, and Emily Lawrence. After a long battle with her health in June, Joan decided that she no longer wanted to fight and just to live her last days surrounded by family and that's just what happened when the family got the call/text that Joan wanted to journey on, the family came to be by her side for four weeks. She brought the family together to laugh, cry and just sit and visit with each other, remembering Joanie the way she wanted. When she took her last breath, she was surrounded by her loved ones. She will be missed dearly. Joanie was a strong woman, and although she experienced illness and her body was shutting down, her heart remained very strong. Her brother, Jr., gave Joan her Lakota name “Strong Heart Woman”

Joan is survived by her daughter, D’Shaun Star; grandchildren: Jeryn, Jhet’Taun, Drew, Kai’Viaun, Khaida, Kelson, CJay, Leroy, and Covin; sisters: Linda Addison, Amelia (Chris) Curley, Melissa (Marcell) Jewett, and E.Rose (Dane) LeBeau; brothers: Keith (Deloris) Curley, Jr. Curley, and Irving Curley; and many nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Amy Iron Lightning Curley; daughter, Jonnelle Rae Curley; sister, Grace Agneaux; brothers: Arlen, Mervin Andrew (Big A), Myron, Kenny, and Danny Curley; nephews: Terry and Jerry Curley, Grant Langley, CJ Addison, Joe Brown Wolf, Courtney “Koko” Curley, and Misun Curley; nieces: SherRon Langley, Tessa and Jean Curley; and grandchildren: Kyle and Koy Curley.

In Joan’s famous words “Wakinyan Maza all my life, Peace out.”

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Joan’s arrangements.