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Memorial Mass for Arlene O'Leary, will be at 10:30 AM, Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake. Inurnment will be at Timber Lake Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. A Rosary service will be at 6 PM, Friday at the church.

Arlene LeBeau O'Leary, 88, of rural Timber Lake passed away on March 1 ^st at Hospice of the Hills in Rapid City. Arlene was born in a log cabin at the mouth of the Moreau River to Eudora Traversie LeBeau and Johnson Alex LeBeau on Feb 24, 1930. Her dad delivered her because the woman who was supposed to assist with the birth did not arrive in time. According to Arlene, her Papa was happy because she was a girl as they had 7 boys already. She remembered her Father's father - Alex LeBeau who was a Catholic catechist among the Indians, serving communion, teaching those who wanted to learn their prayers and baptized babies and anyone who wished to be a Catholic. Grandma Henrietta (Fielder) Traversie – an Oglala Lakota, was the only other grandmother that she knew – she was the mother to Arlene's mother. Barney Traversie, father to her mother and Susie (Zouie) Chadron LeBeau, a Santee, the mother to her father, were already deceased.

Arlene grew up at the mouth of the Moreau River – less than a fourth of a mile to the Missouri River, She recalled having chickens, geese, turkeys, milk cows, horses and her Grandpa lived nearby –" just above us". He taught Arlene all of her prayers. Her mother always sent her with fresh bread, cream and butter, hot dishes and things for her Grandfather to eat. When her shoe was torn, Mama sent her up to Grandpa LeBeau and he sewed it up with sinew. Arlene recalled never going hungry or without as a child because her mother raised a large garden which was canned and dried for the winter with the help of her children.

After Arlene was born, Papa went up and told Grandpapa who came down to see the new girl. She opened her eyes and he said, "Nagua esta toto (she has blue eyes)". He gave her the Indian name of blues eyes. According to Arlene, the boys always said that she was Papa's favorite but she thought she was Grandpa's favorite. "They were tired of boys". From then on, the boys would joke that she didn't belong to the family and that Papa picked her up on the way home in the wagon.

Arlene went to kindergarten at Pierre Indian School at age 5 and to first and second grade at St Joseph School in Chamberlain - it was there that she made her first communion. At the age of 8 she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was taken to the Sioux sanatorium in Rapid City, SD where she remained for the next 5 years. Upon discharge from the sanatorium, Arlene attended the Old Agency School for 1 year and then she returned to St. Joseph where she took the 7th and the 8th grade combined and graduated from the 8th grade at the age of 15. She then attended Stephan Indian School and New Castle High School with her sister Mona and graduated from St. Martin Academy with her high school degree.

She married Mark Edward O'Leary in 1952 and to this marriage 7 children were born – David, Dennis, Ramona, Timothy, Carmen, Mark and Margaret Mary.   They ranched on the Moreau River until the death of her husband at which time Arlene moved to the Rapid City area and later moved back to Eagle Butte where she worked at the Sacred Heart Center and for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal courts as a judge. In 1996 she moved back permanently to the ranch to care for her granddaughter Laura with whom she had an especially close relationship.

Arlene was known for her love of babies and her magical touch in soothing and comforting them. She was always happy to spend time with her many grandchildren, nieces and nephews and had the ability to convey pure delight when greeting them. Arlene overcame many obstacles during her lifetime including health issues and was proud of more than 43 years of sobriety. She was known for her love of sports, family and her faith.

Arlene was preceded in death by her husband Mark in 1969, her parents Eudora and Johnson LeBeau, brothers Alex Johnson, Gilbert, Elmo, Sibby, Art, Barney, Frankie and sisters Marie, Ramona and Rose Madonna, granddaughter Summer Rae Murphy 1983, grandsons Jameson O'Leary 1983 and Cpl Tanner O'Leary in 2007 and her son David in 2009.

She is survived by her children - Dennis O'Leary, Ramona (Gary) Simon, and Tim (Marcia) O'Leary all of Timber Lake, Carmen O'Leary of Eagle Butte, and Mark O'Leary and Margaret O'Leary both of Rapid City, SD. One brother, Fredrick LeBeau of Eagle Butte, and sisters-in-law Marcella LeBeau of Eagle Butte and May LeBeau of Rapid City, daughter-in-law, Nancy Deckert, and numerous beloved grandchildren, great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers include all of her Grandchildren: Brian O'Leary of Raeford, NC, Garret Simon of Timber Lake, Rustin Simon of Smithville, MO, Melissa Oberg of Bismarck, ND, Shanna Gebhardt of Timber Lake, Blaine O'Leary of Timber Lake, Veronica Handeland of Timber Lake, Jacey Murphy of Rapid City , Steven O'Leary of Hot Springs, Mark O'Leary III of Rapid City, Ben Murphy of Rapid City, Myles O'Leary of Huron, Tully O'Leary of Minneapolis, MN, Jim O'Leary of Timber Lake, Jess O'Leary of Rapid City, Megan Murphy of Rapid City, Laura O'Leary of Timber Lake, and Kimimila O'Leary Briggs of Eagle Butte.

Honorary pallbearers include all of her treasured great grandchildren, Marcella LeBeau, May LeBeau, Nancy Deckert, Andy and Keva Aberle, Della Birdsall, Vinnie Lawrence, Sy and Mary Fountain, Gary and Marcia Kulzer, Gloria Traversie, Kenna Webb, Sister Pegge Boehm, Sister Marilyn Dunn, Sister Darlene Gutenkauf, Ramona Williams, Aspen Lamb, Mary Kraft and all of the West Wind Home Health nurses and aides, the Mulloy family, the Hornick family, and the Presentation Cojourners.

Memorials may be sent in lieu of flowers to: Shower My Bebela, PO Box 73, Eagle Butte, SD - a small nonprofit providing baby showers for new Mom's on the Cheyenne River Reservation.