Funeral services for John Moon, 73, of Eagle Butte were held Saturday, April 1, 2023 in Eagle Butte. Burial was at the Looking Horse Family Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge.
John passed away Friday, March 24, 2023, at the IHS Hospital in Eagle Butte.
John Moon (Alex Theophile John Guerrero ~ Mni Luta “Red Water”) was born on June 28, 1949 at the Old Cheyenne Agency to Rudolph Guerrero and Ruby T. Marshall. He grew up on the old Traversie Ranch north of Eagle Butte.
John attended grade school in Arizona and returned to complete junior high school at Cheyenne-Eagle Butte. While he attended school, he worked on the family ranch. Besides his cowboy hat, some of the other hats he wore included iron worker (San Francisco, CA and helped build the Grand River Casino), tuna fisherman (in Hawaii), truck driver, construction worker (helping build docks at Prairie Island), well driller, welder, auto mechanic, auto body repairman, and wild horse race anchorman. He operated his own transportation business called Moonlight Transport.
John mastered the skill of wild horse racing as an anchorman. This led the John Moon Team to many first place wins.
John returned to the ranch in 2009. He served the Green Grass Community as Chairman of the Community Board where he was instrumental in the construction of the Green Grass Community Building.
John was a sun dancer and participated in many horse rides including the Big Foot Ride. John also participated in numerous walks including the Pipe Stone Walk and coordinated sobriety walks in the Green Grass Community.
Happy to share in his life is his wife
June 28, 1949 – March 24, 2023
Gladys, whom he met in 1988. He would always say that his life actually began the day he met her. They were married in 2009.
John enjoyed an open prairie, a wild horse race, watching a good pool game, a good hunting trip with family, a hot cup of Tim Horton’s coffee, an ice cold Coke, and maple nut ice cream.
John went above and beyond for his family and friends. He loved to visit and always made the time to share a story, give some sound advice, provide encouragement and of course he never passed up an opportunity to make you laugh.
John is survived by his wife Gladys; daughters Jonni Guerrero-Arpan and Alex Looking Horse; sons Craig Clown, Edward Brave Thunder, Dewey Looking Horse, and Shace Looking Horse; ten grandchildren; hunka daughters Michelle Santos-West, Michelle Moran-Walking Elk, Feather Stranger, Charlene Hollow Horn Bear and Catherine Lawrence; hunka son Juan Garrett; sisters Arliss (Bob) Keckler, Irene Lechuga, and Mona Rae (Roger) Lawrence; sisterin- law Darilee Looking Horse; and his hunka brothers.
John is preceded in death by his parents; sons Josh “Moon” Guerrero and TJ Looking Horse; grandparents Theophile and Lily (Jewett) Traversie; and his dog, Shorty.