Bernadette Uses the Knife

Bernadette “Tweety” Uses The Knife, 52, of Eagle Butte, became ill in July 2010, and after several hospitalizations, made her journey home to her Heavenly Father at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m MST, Friday, February 4, 2011 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Eagle Butte. Burial will be at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Bear Creek. A procession formed at the four-mile junction east of Eagle Butte, at 5:00 p.m., Thursday, February 3, 2011 with wake services being held at 7:00 p.m. at the church.

Bernadette Uses The Knife “Wawokiya Win” was born June 23, 1958 at Old Agency.  She is the daughter of Ethel (Butcher) Uses The Knife and the late Raymond Uses The Knife, Sr.  Bernadette attended school at St. Joseph’s boarding school in Chamberlain, SD and also the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School system.  After completing her GED, Bernadette attended Cheyenne River Community College and United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, ND. 

Bernadette was a natural when it came to baking, she was known for her homemade bread and other baked items.  She was employed as a cook at the C-EB Middle School Cafeteria and at the Walter Miner Law Enforcement.  She was also employed at the Cheyenne River Housing Authority as a clerk.

Bernadette is survived by her mother, Ethel Uses The Knife of Eagle Butte; six daughters: Kimberli (Tyrone) Janise-Mexican of Eagle Butte, Shay (Sheldon) Janise-Iceman of Bemidji, MN, Bridgette (William) Janise-Branchaud of Red Lake, MN, Ruth (Joseph) Uses The Knife-Saul of Fort Totten, ND, Becca (Brent) LeBeau of Pierre, Jorae LeBeau of Red Lake, MN; one hunka son, Nick Demarce of Eagle Butte; grandchildren: Demaris, Cree, Cherub, Winter and Tyrone Mexican, Jr.; William III, Brittney and Shelby Branchaud; Joshua, Zachary and Brett Saul and Adrian Whiteman; twin brother, Bernard Uses The Knife of Eagle Butte; five brothers: Thomas Stands For of Eagle Butte, William (Cynthia) Uses The Knife of Rapid City, Matthew (Margie) Uses The Knife and Raymond Uses The Knife, Jr. both of Eagle Butte; three sisters: Mary (Freeman) Zephier of Rapid City, Etta (Michael) Rush of DeVille, LA, Marietta (Harry) Little Thunder; and numerous nieces and nephews who all love and miss her.

Preceding her in death was her father, Raymond Uses The Knife, Sr.; sister, Ruth Marie Uses The Knife; maternal grandparents, Samuel Butcher and Nellie Clown; paternal grandparents, William Uses The Knife, Sr. and Elizabeth Eagle Chasing; niece, Loreal Uses The Knife; aunt, Maethel Butcher-Moran; and her uncle, Sydney Keith.

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