Jonnelle Curley

Jonnelle Rae Curley, 32, of Eagle Butte, passed away Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at the Cheyenne River Healthcare Center, Eagle Butte, with her family by her side.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m., MDT, Thursday, April 6, 2017, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte, with Mother Margaret Watson presiding. Burial followed in the Iron Lightning Family Cemetery, Iron Lightning. A wake service was held at 7:00 p.m., MDT, Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at the church, with a procession from the 4-mile at 5:00 p.m.

Jonnelle Rae Curley was born February 6, 1985 in Eagle Butte, SD to Joan Curley and Marty Takes The Knife. She attended Head Start in Eagle Butte, grade school in White Horse, SD, and high school at Tiospaye Topa School and Cheyenne-Eagle Butte High School, where she graduated in May 2004.

Jonnelle grew up being raised by her aunts and uncles and her mother, she was very close to all her cousins and considered them her brothers and sisters. She was very close to her grandparents, Cecil and Amy (Iron Lightning) Curley, she carries her Grandma Amy’s Lakota name “Gives Her Horse.” Jonnelle loved to laugh, joke around and tease everyone she met. She made a lot of friends throughout her young life, a lot of whom remained really close with her. She was naturally friendly, got along well with everyone, with an outgoing personality. She was always known best for her laugh, and when she would laugh, her laugh would make you laugh. It was one of a kind. She was known to many by different nicknames (Porky, Jon L Way, Jonny 5, Jonni Rae, Jonni Jo, Faleesha and Nunu), but the name that best fit her was “Sister,” she was a sister to many.

While in high school Jonnelle went on various trips. One memorable one was when she was selected as one of the first students to attend the Indian Youth Police Academy in San Bernadino, CA. Throughout high school Jonnelle worked different jobs as well as after she completed high school. Some of those jobs included working at the CRST Planning Office, CRST Payroll Office, Lakota Thrifty Mart, Western Sky Financial, Taco Johns, Oyate Connections, CRST Law Enforcement and Mystic Lake Casino.

Jonnelle was always working, and met many friends along the way. When she became a mother, she worked to provide for her children and always maintained her own home. She loved to cook, she would always comment about what she was cooking and ask what everyone else was having for lunch or supper. She would cook on short notice and for family gatherings, mainly the annual softball tourneys the family sponsors. She helped out where needed, always doing so with a smile and of course, laughing.

Jonnelle loved being a mother. She adored her children and always did her best for them. She had Jeryn Charles, Jhet’Taun Ceese, Kai’Viaun James and Khaida K’Aunys. She then met Waylon High Bear and had two more children, Kelson Kyrie and C’Jay Rozyn. Waylon played a big role in helping her. When she became sick, he was by her side.

Jonnelle was a strong young woman, and although she experienced illness and her body was shutting down, her heart remained very strong. Family members stayed with her and her mother held her up until the end. Her sister/cousins: Missy, Tori, Troylynn, Jana, Cecile and Jessie, remained at her side. They talked to her and joked around, prayed for her, and played her favorite songs; that’s how close they were and how much she was loved - their bond was strong. Jonnelle will be missed by many. She was a daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter, mother, Godmother and most of all, a friend. She was someone you could count on, someone that could make you laugh, and someone that loved music; she loved to sing and just loved life.

She is survived by her mother, Joan Curley; father, Marty Takes The Knife; children, Jeryn, Jhet’Taun, Kai’Viaun, Khaida, Kelson and C’Jay; the love of her life, Waylon High Bear; baby sister, D'Shaun Star Eagle Chasing; aunts: Linda Addison (Steve), Amelia Curley (Chris), Melissa Jewett (Marcel) and Ethelene Rose Curley; adopted aunts: Michelle Benoist and Emily Lawrence; uncles: Keith Curley (Delores), Kenneth Curley, Cecil Curley, Jr., Myron Curley (Mary Ellen), Irving Curley, and Danny Curley (Valerie); nephew, Leroy; godsons: Daniel Curley and Kyler Red Dog; and goddaughter, Jay’Ellen Red Fox. She looked up to others and considered them very special in her life: Beth Ducheneaux, Kim Lawrence, her “Uncle” Deon Red Dog, Kaye Annis, and Carmen Annis.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Cecil and Amy Curley; uncles, Mervin “Big A” Curley and Arlen Curley; aunt, Elvira “Grace” Agneaux; nephew, Kyle T. Curley; cousins: Terry “Cub” Curley, Grant Langley, SherRon Langley, Courtney “KoKo” Curley, C’Jay Addison, Joseph Brown Wolf, and Misun Curley; her “Granny T” Veronica Iron Lightning; and all friends and relatives who went on before her.

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