Blanche Tolman

Blanche S. Tolman, 90, of Eagle Butte, passed away, Friday, January 18, 2013 at the Golden Living Center, Ipswich.

Funeral services will be 10:00a.m., Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte with Fr. David Hussey presiding. Burial will follow at the Dupree Cemetery, rural Cherry Creek. An all night wake will be at 7:00p.m., Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte.

Blanche Penelope Saul Fire Tolman was born April 22, 1922 at home near Ft. Thompson, SD to Susan Penelope Rudy Saul and Thomas T. Saul. She attended Crow Creek Day School through the 8^th grade, 9^th grade at Pierre Indian School and Jr. and Sr. High at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, KS, graduating in 1943.

Blanche attended the Methodist Hospital in Mitchell, SD from 1943 to 1945, obtaining her RN degree. In 1947 she married Harvey Daws Fire and to this union, two children were born: Joseph Allen Fire (1947 – 1979) and Natalie Eleanor Fire Dundon (1950).

During Blanche’s nursing career she has worked at Brigham City, UT, Ft. Thompson, SD, Chamberlain, SD, Schurz, NV, Old Cheyenne, Eagle Butte, SD, Zuni, NM, Gallup NM and back to Eagle Butte, retiring in 1980. Her first position was as a cadet with the Army War Department in Brigham, UT during World War II. Since that time she has spent the remainder of her life giving back the Indian people.

Blanche is survived by her daughter: Natalie Eleanor Fire Dundon of Eagle Butte; her grandchildren: Thomas, Melissa, Elizabeth and Morgan Dundon; one great grandson, Matthew Houston and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Harvey; son, Joseph Allen Fire; and three siblings: Isalabel Menevera Saul, Cecelia Meneveva Saul and Della Saul Yeller.

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