Funeral services for Fern (Red Bear) Lutz age 75 of McLaughlin will be at 10 AM, CT, Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the McLaughlin Blue Gym. Burial will be in the Red Bear Family Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. An all night wake will start at 5 PM Friday at the gym with services at 7 PM. Fern passed away Thursday, April 14, 2016 at Mobridge Regional Hospital

Fern Red Bear-Lutz "Ti Wica Ota Win" (Home of many sons woman)
April 13, 1941-April 14, 2016
Fern was born to Grace Steal-Brown Otter and Isaac Red Bear in Bullhead, SD. She grew up and was raised along the Firesteel Creek until she started school, the family then relocated to Bullhead, SD. She attended Bullhead Day School through the 8th grade before attending high school in McIntosh where she excelled in education and was a proud member of the band. She then attended the Fort Yates High School. Following high school she attended the United Tribes College. She then went to nurses training in Chicago, IL then to Los Angeles, CA.

Upon returning to Bullhead she worked for Buddy and Eunice Gipp and Basil and Helen Alkire as a babysitter.
After moving with family to Isabel she worked in Eagle Butte, SD, as a nutrition cook and resided thee briefly. She then worked for Sugar beet factory in Sidney, MT. After retirement she returned to McLaughlin, and worked for the Montesorri School. Following that she worked for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe under the TWEP program and was then a NEW Recruiter before her retirement.

She was a proud member of the Isabel Legion Auxiliary and travelled extensively with the organization.
After her retirement she kept her grandchildren and enjoyed raising them! They were the light of her world! She made sure they were well cared for. She had them baptized right after their birth and gave them their Lakota names when they were one year old. She was their moral support, confidante and keeper!

She always attended church no matter what the denomination because she loved God and worshipped him as often as she could! She was a proud member ad one of the first women to be allowed to be part of "The Brotherhood of Christian Unity" and attended meetings regularly in Pierre, SD.

She was also an avid pow wow attendee to support and watch her son and grandsons dance. She accompanied them to dance at Denver, Shakopee, Bismarck, Rapid City and across North and South Dakota. She is a member of the "One Bull Tiospaye" of Sitting Bulls clan.
Before she passed on to be with her God, she was adamant to be part of the SRCHS prom as two grandsons, were going to attend and had big plans to support them when she got out of the hospital. She also wanted to make sure her eldest grandson was prepared for his upcoming graduation.

She leaves to mourn two sons, John and Jose (Wilma), her beloved and cherished grandsons, Ayden, Danton and Tomas, two brothers, Leon Brown Otter Sr. (Diane) and David (Zeta) Red Bear, two sisters, Mavis (Oley) Little Eagle and Janell Red Bear, adopted uncle, Romanus Bear Stops of Red Scaffold, SD, aunts, Anna Mae Steele, McLaughlin, Teresa Williams of San Diego, CA, and Lois Chasing Hawk of Eagle Butte, extended family, Leroy Laplante Jr., Joe White Mountain Jr, Russell Young Bird, Hans Bradley, Brian Thunder Hawk, Wayne Fox, Fred Fox Sr., Darrell Cable Jr., Boy Tiger, Boe Eagle Pipe, Justin Baker, Leal and Damian Redlegs, Chuck Demarrias, Charles Bieber, Charley Chapman, Frank Makes Him Room, Gill Kills Pretty Enemy III, Steve Yellow Earrings, Michelle Carry Moccasin, Pauline Long Feather, Dawn Spotted Horse, Lila Long Feather, Leanne White Shield, Justin Miller, Naomi Ducheneaux.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, John and Julia Thief/Steal, parents, Isaac Red Bear and Grace Brown Otter, daughters, Adrienne Lolita, Grace Elizabeth, Charity Faye, brothers, Oley Red Bear Sr., Johnny Red Bear, Roland Brown Otter, Milton Brown Otter, Carl Red Bear, Delmer Red Bear, Conrad Red Bear, Wayne Red Bear, sister, Mary Brown Otter.