Funeral services for Bernard Iron Shield, 57, of McLaughlin will be at 11 AM CT, Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at the McLaughlin Blue Gym. Burial will be at the McLaughlin City Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will start at 5PM, Monday at the funeral home with services at 7PM. Bernard passed away Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at Sanford Hospital in Bismarck.

Bernard James Iron Shield was born on June 24, 1959, to Wallace and Martha (Takes The Hat) Iron Shield in Ft. Yates, ND. He grew up in McLaughlin. He attended all of his educational years at McLaughlin, graduating in May of 1978 as a proud McLaughlin Midget!

After a short time working as security for Standing Rock Housing, Bernard got accepted at SIPI, an art school in New Mexico. From that time on he lived the life of an artist, attending various schools, living and traveling across the United States.
While growing up Bernard was very active in school and community sports and activities. He played grade school and high school football and basketball. He also took much pride in playing PeeWee, Teener and American Legion baseball for McLaughlin. When he heard the city of McLaughlin was having a fund raiser to start up baseball in March, he wanted to go help so we donated in his honor. Bernard also tried his hand at rodeo and being a cowboy. He worked as a farmhand at local ranches and farms. He rode bareback at the McLaughlin Major James Rodeo.

As a teen he worked for the summer YCC program, taking much pride in planting the trees on the hill North of the Gall Inn. He was basically a jack of all trades, trying his hand at everything. But art was his love. While at SIPI Art School he played college basketball. He would proudly tell the grandsons, "those people were amazed at the ball skills this big tall Sioux Boy Had."

As an artist he had galleries and art exhibitions and sold many of his pieces there. He did mediums, Smoltings, murals, painting free hand, sketches, sculptures, and Native American Traditional. He also was taught how to make a totem pole while living in residence at an art school in Anchorage, Alaska. He was an artist in residence at many art schools across the United States, including New York City. He was very pleased and proud that SIPI asked him to return and be an artist in residence there. He had showings in Alaska, New York, and the Institute of American Indian Art in DC, Minneapolis, MN, Denver, CO, and San Francisco, CA. He was proud and happy he was asked to return to Minneapolis to restore and repair other art pieces.
As a cowboy artist he met and fell in love with Marty Theodore in Anchorage, Alaska. He spent time with her there until his artist feet moved him on. The majority of his older years were spent in Minneapolis. This is where he met his next love Elaine, spending many years with her and her children. He never married nor did he have children. He never stayed in one spot long enough to settle down there were places to see and friends to go with. He loved the pow wow world but knew mostly the Minnesota Tribal Customs and Ceremonies. He hadn't been home in McLaughlin for over 30 years. His failing health brought him home almost a year ago.

Bernard is survived by his siblings, Kathy Antelope of McLaughlin, Beverly Iron Shield of McLaughlin, Lori (Roger) Head of Ft. Thompson, SD, Brian Iron Shield of McLaughlin, Melanie Dobler of Bismarck, Corrine Elenbias of Ellenville, IL, aunts, Clarice Miner of Eagle Butte and Ramona Hopkins of Oregon and numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Pete Iron Shield and LeRoy Dean Dobler, sister, Karen Rough Surface, and grandparents, James and Anne Takes The Hat.