Royce Clown

Royce Clown, 51, of Dupree, entered the spirit world, Monday, June 1, 2021, at Monument Health, Rapid City with family by his side.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., MDT, Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at Pioneer Hall, Dupree. Burial will follow in the St. Peter Episcopal Cemetery, Thunder Butte, SD. A wake service will be held at 7:00 p.m., Monday, June 7, 2021 with a procession from the two-mile east of town at 4:00 p.m.

Royce Jeffrey Clown, was born February 17, 1970 to Arnold K. Sr and Eldora (Black Eagle) Clown at Eagle Butte, South Dakota. In his early childhood years, Royce spent a lot of it with extended family and for a while lived with his Grandma Amy and Lala Ed Clown.  As Royce was an inquisitive, active and sharp boy, he got up to all kinds of things.  For one, he had a chicken, really a chick, which he called “Kentucky Fried Chicken”.  His chicken would run all over the place, and unfortunately, his uncle stepped on it, ending Kentucky Fried. 

When he was three, Royce walked downtown by himself, and when asked what he was doing and why he was downtown, he replied, “just going to buy cigarettes.” 

Royce also was an altar boy at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Dupree when his Lala Ed was a lay reader.  He wore the white uniform of an altar boy and actually managed to light the candles. 

Royce, being a typical boy, did not like to take baths.  It took a lot of work to get him into the bathroom, and then he would sit on the edge of the tub and splash around to make it sound like he was bathing. Of course, everyone caught on, and his dad had to go into the bathroom and sit with him to make sure he actually took a bath.

Royce was always on the go.  He liked to go fishing, ice skating, or take a hike.  One time he talked Mollie Wold into driving out past Thunder Butte along with two other little boys to fish at a dam.  He was not quite sure where it was but kept directing her so then they were off road in her tiny car.  They finally found the road again but never did find the dam he was talking about. 

Mollie also took Royce and a couple of other little boys to a basketball game in Rapid City.  When they got on the interstate, Mollie was driving in the left lane of the two lanes going towards Rapid City.  Royce started to panic and asked her why she was driving on the wrong side of the road.  He had never been on the interstate before. 

There are lots of Royce stories out there as everyone who knew him has a story to tell of something he did that tickled our funny bones. He enjoyed life and made a wonderful lifelong friendship with those he met.

Royce received his GED after he turned 18 years old. He enrolled at Mitchell Vo-Tech where he received his journeyman apprenticeship and began working for Bolt Electric. This allowed him to travel the upper Midwest states for several years.

Royce later obtained his commercial driver’s license. He signed on as an over the road driver for Ludikee Trucking in Rapid City, traveling cross country hauling goods.

Royce returned home to Dupree and worked for the tribe in different positions. They included director of sanitary landfill for a short time and housing authority renovation. He worked alongside Tiger Veit, leaving them with many stories.

Throughout his life, Royce never forgot his family and friends and no one forgot Royce. He always remained close to those he grew up with. His special family include Carol Mann, Ken and Mollie Wold and family to whom were grateful.

Royce is survived by his mother Eldora Black Eagle, Dupree; brothers: Ken Clown and family, Dupree, Arnold Clown Jr. and family, Thunder Butte, Derek Bianas and family, LaPlant, and Narcisse Bruguier, Eagle Butte; sisters: Sarah Clown and family, Pierre and Tina Red Bird and family, Eagle Butte; daughter: Mandylynn Clown, Rapid City; son: Whitney Clown Marrowbone, Rapid City; and his god children: Tristan and Noah Little Wounded, Dupree.

He is preceded in death by his father, Arnold Clown Sr; brothers: Ronald “Deetz” Clown and Vincent Cloud Eagle; special niece: Kaylynn “Kaykay” Clown; paternal grandparents: Raymond and Sarah Clown; and maternal grandparents: Luke and Lizzie Loves War Black Eagle.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Royce's arrangements.