Marcella LeBeau

Marcella Rose Ryan LeBeau, (Wígmuŋke Wašté Wíŋ/Pretty Rainbow Woman), of the Cheyenne River Oóhenuŋpa (Two Kettle) Lakota Nation was 102 years young when she started her journey to the star nation. She passed away on November 21, 2021, in Eagle Butte surrounded by family.

Funeral services were held Saturday, November 27, 2021 at the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School Auditorium. Burial was at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cemetery near Promise under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge.

Marcella was born in Promise on October 12, 1919, to Joseph M. and Florence (Four Bear) Ryan.

Marcella embraced caregiving at an early age. She took care of her mother and little brother Leo before they passed.

Her Grandmother Louise Bear Face passed her Lakota name onto Marcella. There were no ceremonies taking place in those days. Grandma Louise honored Marcella with a raspberry-colored shawl. Marcella’s grandmother passed away two years after Marcella’s mother. For the rest of her days, Marcella carried her Grandma’s Lakota name with pride.

Her father, an Irish American, would tell her the Native people are the greatest people on earth though he couldn’t say the same for his own. Her father would say to his children, “Go get a good education because no one can take that away from you!”

After her mother passed away, her father presented her mother’s sewing machine to her and said if she learned to sew, he would get all the fabric she needed. She became an avid sewer, learning how to piece together dresses, and clothes for all occasions.

Marcella and her siblings were sent to boarding school after her grandmother’s passing. She continued to understand the profound impact Indian boarding schools had on her and others. She encouraged the community to become aware and educated on historical trauma. Marcella attended nurse’s training at Pierre under the Benedictine Sisters.

At the age of 23 she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps. During World War II, she served in England, France, and Belgium. Marcella received the American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three battle stars for the Rhineland, Northern France, and Ardennes (also known as the Battle of the Bulge), the World War II Victory Medal, and a Medal of Honor from the Belgium government. Marcella concluded her career in the Army as First Lieutenant. As she would say, “It was the greatest honor of my life to serve.”

She worked as an R.N. for 31 years until her retirement. She remained an advocate for better health her entire life. She served on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council from 1990-1994. Her anti-smoking efforts led to the Cheyenne River Reservation becoming the first smoke-free community in South Dakota, perhaps in the country.

In 1947, she married Gilbert “Gib” LeBeau and they had eight children.

Marcella remained active in organizations and advocacy. She was particularly proud of being a co-founding member of the Native American Indian Women’s Association (NAIWA) and a founding member of NARP. Marcella assisted in the repatriation of a ceremonial Ghost Dance shirt stolen from a body at the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. She was instrumental in the introduction of the Remove the Stain Act, Senate Bill 1073, requesting lawful action to rescind the 20 Medals of Honor from the U.S. Cavalry who carried out bloodshed in the massacre at Wounded Knee.

In 2004, Marcella was awarded the French Legion of Honor for her service in World War II, the highest honor given by the French government. She was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2006. She was awarded the Women in History Award from the Spirit of the Prairie Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2016. She received an honorary doctorate degree from South Dakota State University in 2018. In 2020, the National Congress of the American Indians recognized her with a leadership award and USA Today named her as one of the most influential women of the century.

On November 6, 2021, she was inducted into the National Native American Hall of Fame. Upon acceptance, she said, “The greatest honor that I can receive is from my own people. And I am here tonight being honored by my own people.”

Marcella is survived by her daughters —Diane (Bob) Booth of Ridgeview, Gerri LeBeau of Rapid City, and Kathy (Nial High Hawk) LeBeau, Donna (Allan S.) LeBeau, and Cynthia Cleveland, all of Eagle Butte; son Tom LeBeau of Rapid City; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Florence Ryan; brothers Eugene, Mike, and Leo; sister Johanna; daughter Bonnie; sons Daniel and Richard; granddaughters Julia Shannon LeBeau and Marcella Booth; and grandsons Faron and Emmitt LeBeau.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Mary’s Building Repair Fund, c/o State Bank of Eagle Butte, Box 10, Eagle Butte, SD 57625.

(Diane Booth’s address is Box 316, Ridgeview, SD 57652.)