Romanus Bear Stops
November 2, 1924 ~ October 2, 2021
Romanus Bear Stops (Sunktecgela Sni), 96, of Red Scaffold, passed away Saturday, October 02, 2021 at Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital, Deadwood, SD.
Funeral services will be 12:00 p.m. Monday, October 11, 2021 at Red Scaffold Gym, Red Scaffold, SD with Father John Paul Trask presiding. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Red Scaffold. A wake service will be held at 7:00 p.m., Sunday, October 10, 2021 at the gym with a procession from the hill west of town at 4:00 p.m.
Romanus Pressler Bear Stops was born November 2, 1924, at home in Red Scaffold, SD, to James and Fannie (Fish) Bear Stops. He comes from the Red Skirt clan. Throughout his life, he held many positions, most of which centered on helping the Lakota Oyate, honoring and uplifting Lakota traditional ceremonies. Among his great passions was ranching, calf roping, and grass dancing, and he loved singing, cancega awanyanke for the Red Scaffold Singer’s.
Romanus kept the wiwangwaci hochoka going for 44 years on his family’s land. He has many relatives, great grandchildren, and grandchildren on Turtle Island, which he loves so much and was proud of every one of them. Hunka relatives were many, he holds all of them dearly in his heart. He valued his Oyate and relatives for who they were, he took the time and gave everyone a chance. He had a lot of pride growing up and was raised to be a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Sunktecgela Sni is survived by his sons: James (Connie) Bear Stops, Red Scaffold, Kermit Bear Stops, Denver, CO, Melvin Bad Hand, Wambli, and Rodney Bad Hand, Wambli; daughters: Deloris Duran, Denver, CO, Gloria (Vernell) Sitting Crow, Red Scaffold, Romalee Bear Stops, Rapid City, Erlene Rooks, Wambli, Georgia Rooks, Wambli, and Alvina Circle Bear, Eagle Butte.
He will be greeted with open arms by his relatives in the spirit world, his great grandfathers: Chief Red Skirt and Pete Bear Stops; his parents: James Bear Stops and Fannie Fish; brothers: Patrick, Henry, Alphonzo, Damascus, and Pete Bear Stops; sisters: Lena Black Moon, Mary Jane Good Shield, and Alice Bear Stops; daughter, Kathleen Bear Stops; and sons: Elmer Bear Stops, Steve Emery, and Jim Picotte.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Romanus’ arrangements.
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So sorry for your loss. He was such a great person. I learned so much from him. I will miss him.
Mary Jo
Thinking of family and friends and sending prayers and hugs in sympathy. Rest in blessed peace
My son Favian Kennedy introduced me to Mr Bearstops decades ago. I remember us taking him out to eat and I was so mesmerized by him. I wanted him to keep talking. His hat was so special to him. It was a part of him. The world has lost a very Special human being. My condolences to his family and all who loved him. Hopefully his legacy will live on in all of us.😢Noella Folkes
My condolences to the Bearstops/ Sitting Crow family. Heidi and Cheyenne sends their love and prayers
Sending Prayers Love and Hugs to my family. Love you all ❤🙏🏾
Sending prayers to my family sure gonna miss you lala❤️ wopila from me & Wylie and our kids and takojas
my prayers and condolences to the family Roman's Taught me a lot and he gave me my first drum stick from then I became a singer and he even gave me all his tapes from pow wow and told me to learn and I am forever grateful and humble to take the things we talked about to my grave! He was a good man and will be missed greatly
Sending my condolences to the family of Grandpa Romanus, Brother of my Grandmother Lena Bearstops/Black Moon.