Donna E. Walters Lawson, 64, of Pierre, passed away Monday, May 15, 2023, at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital, Pierre.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at St John’s Episcopal Church in Eagle Butte. Burial followed in the Timber Lake Cemetery.
Donna E. Walters-Lawson (Wanbli Gleska Luta Win) was born June 16, 1958, at Old Cheyenne Agency, to Joseph and Betty Walters. She was the oldest twin born that day. Donna grew up in Promise with all of her siblings.
She attended high school in Timber Lake where she ran track and was on the drill team. She graduated in 1977.
In September of 1977 she married Marlon Swimmer. There were two children born to this union, a daughter Barbie and son Jimmy (Marlon).
Donna raised her family in Timber Lake for some time. To help support the family she took in sewing work, patching pants for many locals and sewing quilts for loved ones. Donna also hand-quilted star quilts deep into the night.
In 1990 Donna moved her family to Pierre. There she met her hunka sister, Debbie Rencountre, and gained many more relatives through her hunka father/mother Whitney and Thelma from Crow Creek.
1990 was also the year she entered the powwow circle; she started as a jingle dress dancer and later a wellknown traditional dancer and danced
June 16, 1958 – May 15, 2023
all of the United States. Donna spent a lot of time making regalia for young people and took pride in her sewing. She was also an avid beader, beading moccasins, leggings, fancy dance capes, and even crowns.
When Donna lived in Hawaii and Georgia, she began making pageant dresses for little girls who wore them with pride on the pageant circuit. She made wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, homemade ribbon shirts for new brothers she picked up throughout her life.
Donna lived in Thoreau, NM with her daughter and family when her health turned. She spent time teaching her granddaughters to bead.
She later met and married Mark Lawson of Texas. They made frequent trips to Thoreau to see the Takoja’s and go to the annual social powwow at Thoreau. Donna forgot her regalia, so she whipped up a ribbon dress to wear and dance in.
Donna and Mark moved back to Pierre in 2022 due to Donna’s health and her wish to be closer to her family.
Donna was surrounded by her siblings and family when the Creator took her home. She had a heart of gold and was a very talented woman.
Donna is survived by her husband, Mark Lawson of Pierre,; sister/friend, Marie Long of Pierre; daughter, Barbie Swimmer-Jim of Thoreau, NM; son, Marlon (Jessica) Swimmer of Omaha, NE; grandchildren, Damarco Jim (Samantha), Allura Swimmer (Josh), Viviana Swimmer, Derrick Jim Jr., Madeline Jim, Celia Jim, Maxson Jim and Chenoa Mariano-Jim, all of Thoreau, NM, Antwan Swimmer of Polacca, AZ, Samuel Swimmer, Kiana Swimmer, Marlon Swimmer Jr., Michelle Mowa, Duane Mowa, Mikayla Swimmer and Braydon Swimmer from Omaha, NE; greatgranddaughter, Layla Jim; siblings, Gale, Jody, Dianna, Judy, Connie, Robert, Scott, Richard, Kimberly, Michael and Melissa; numerous nieces and nephews; hunka family: the Whitney Rencountre Family from Crow Creek, James and Maureen Cadwell of Hermosa, and Connie Williams of Farmington, NM.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Betty Walters; paternal grandparents, Willard and Amy Walters; maternal grandparents, George and Rose Sydow; and numerous aunts and uncles.