Rosemary (Red Bird) Bear Eagle

Rosemary (Red Bird) Bear Eagle, 44, of Bismarck, ND and formerly of Eagle Butte, SD, passed away Monday, May 22, 2017 at her parent’s home in Bismarck.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., MDT, Saturday, May 27, 2017, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte, with Mother Mikayla Dunfee presiding. Burial followed On The Tree Cemetery. A wake service was held at 7:00 p.m., MDT, Friday, May 26, 2017 at the church, with a procession from the 4-mile at 5:00 p.m.

Rosemary Marie Red Bird was born December 29, 1972 in Eagle Butte, SD to Tom and Doris (High Elk) Red Bird. She was the oldest of five children. In 1985, the family moved to Bismarck, ND. Rosemary attended elementary school on the United Tribes Technical College (U.T.T.C.) campus, Wachter Middle School and Bismarck High School and eventually received her G.E.D. In 2007, Rosemary graduated from U.T.T.C. with a degree in Office Technology.

As a young girl, Rosemary was a fancy shawl dancer and traveled with her grandparents to pow-wows. In 1989, she met Matthew Wise Spirit and to this union Sundae and Rex were born. In 2000, she met Matthew Bear Eagle Jr., and they were married January 29, 2001. To this union, Tyler and Nevaeh were born. After Matthew's death in 2003, Rose moved back to Bismarck and started college. After that she was a homemaker and became involved with her children’s schools and activities.

In 2014 Rosemary was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had part of it removed. Following chemo in February 2015 she was in remission; but then in January 2016 she suffered a brain injury and was not expected to live. She had short term memory loss after that and had to eventually move into her parents’ home so her mother could care for her. In March 2017, Rosemary’s cancer returned and she had to have her entire stomach removed. In the two months since, she declined rapidly and was not eating due to the spread of the cancer.

Rosemary is survived by her parents: Tom and Doris Red Bird, Bismarck, ND; daughters: Sundae (Geraldo) and Nevaeh; sons: Rex (Brandi) and Tyler; grandsons: Tommy, Datio and one grandbaby, due in November 2017; granddaughter, Jay Cee; sister, Ryanne (Wayne); brothers: Ryan (Tonya), Tom T. (Jenn), and Jeffry; nieces: Anpetu, Olowan, Sage, Emily, Kadence, and Marguerite; and nephews: Wanbli, PTan, Baylee, Quinn, Morgan, and Daylen.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Matthew Bear Eagle Jr.; paternal grandparents: Charles and Mary Red Bird; maternal grandparents: Isaac and Adelia High Elk; cousins: Delberta Larrabee and Dion Condon; aunt, Juanita Red Bird Young; uncles: Fred Sr., Marvin Sr., Keith and Luvern High Elk.

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