Funeral services for Imogene Taken Alive, age 82, of McLaughlin will be at 11 AM CT, Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at the McLaughlin School Gym. Burial will be in the Good Shepherd Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. An all night wake will start at 6 PM Monday at the gym. Imogene passed away Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck.

Imogene Noreen Wahachan Ka Waste Win was born September 3, 1931, to Wallace and Julia (Dog Eagle) Helper at Kangi Ska Oyanke near Little Eagle, SD. She was raised on the family ranch at Kangi Ska, and attended Little Eagle Day School and St. Elizabeth Mission School at Wakpala, SD. In 1950, she was united in marriage to Peter Taken Alive at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church near Little Eagle. Peter and Imogene were blessed with 11 children, as well as 3 sons who were made relatives in accordance with Lakota custom. Peter and Imogene resided in Phoenix, AZ; Spearfish, SD; Bullhead, SD; Eagle Butte, SD; Rapid City, SD; McLaughlin; Solen, ND; and retired to their dream home at Run Around Butte south of Little Eagle. After Peter passed away in 1993, Imogene continued to reside at Run Around Butte until she moved to McLaughlin in June 2013.

As a full-time homemaker, Imogene was a talented seamstress, baker, cook, and a proud Cub Scout Den mother when her young family resided in Rapid City. She hosted numerous Tupperware and Avon sales parties, and attended nearly every athletic and academic competition her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren participated in since the 1950s. After Imogene raised her children, she was able to complete her education by earning her General Education Diploma in 1968. She begin work as a Home-School Coordinator for McLaughlin Public Schools, helping many students graduate from McLaughlin High School. She also worked as an Occupant Specialist for the Standing Rock Housing Authority. Imogene was also a proud member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 239 at Little Eagle, Winyan Omniciye of the Standing Rock Episcopal Diocese, Standing Rock Elderly Organization, K'atela Okolakiciye, and Teton Oceti Sakowin Treaty Council.

As a lifelong advocate for education, Imogene served for many years as a member and President of the Sitting Bull School Board of Education at Little Eagle. She ensured all of her children graduated from high school and attended college. As well, Imogene did not miss her grandchildren and great grandchildren's preschool, middle school, high school and college graduations. Committed to a healthy lifestyle, Imogene prepared meals consisting of natural foods and was an avid bowler, competing in numerous South Dakota and national bowling competitions. A lifelong member of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Imogene also firmly adhered to Lakota spiritual beliefs and rites, and was present at the Sitting Bull Camp Wiwang Waci gathering every summer. As a fluent Lakota language speaker, Imogene was a strong advocate of efforts to revitalize the language in the schools and communities of the Standing Rock Reservation.

Devoted to civic affairs, Imogene was committed to upholding the 1851 and 1868 Fort Laramie Treaties between the Great Sioux Nation and the United States. She never missed voting in a local, state, federal, and Tribal election. In addition to her service as a member of the Sitting Bull School Board of Education, Imogene was elected to serve as Secretary for the Running Antelope District Council at Little Eagle. A lifelong Democrat, Imogene was very proud when two of her grandchildren went to work for United States Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) and United States President Barack Obama, respectively. A proud member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST), she was quite esteemed when four of her sons were elected to serve as members of the SRST Council throughout the years. Additionally, she was proud when her son Jesse "Jay" Taken Alive and grandson David Archambault II were elected to serve as SRST Chairman in 1993 and 2013, respectively. Also, recently, Imogene was proud when her sons and daughter-in-law were elected to serve on the Boards of Education at McLaughlin Public Schools, Standing Rock Community Schools, and Sitting Bull School in Little Eagle.

Imogene was very independent and preferred to drive herself to meetings and events across Standing Rock and western South Dakota. She loved to travel and visited many cities across the United States, including road trips to visit her Uncle Arnold Dog Eagle and family in New Mexico. Imogene loved to play bingo and attend wacipi to watch her grandchildren and great grandchildren dance and sing. She also loved having visitors and would prepare a meal accordingly. As a dedicated McLaughlin High School athletics fan, she rarely missed a Midgets home game.

Having a very large family, Imogene considered herself very rich and very blessed. She never failed to give a birthday or anniversary card to each of her family members every year. She loved to share stories about her family and Little Eagle community history. She also was fond of recounting stories of growing up in the Kangi Ska Settlement. As a descendent of Chief Sitting Bull's Hunkpapa Lakota people, Imogene maintained keen knowledge of every family to whom she was related and honored them according to Lakota custom (tunwin, leksi, cepansi, sicesi, tonjan, toska, etc.). She was greatly honored to have been referred to as "Unci" by numerous young people and loved every one as though they were her own grandchild.

Imogene is survived by her aunt Edith Long Feather of McLaughlin; her sisters Delores Taken Alive of McLaughlin, and Margaret Eagle Staff of Eagle Butte; her sons David Archambault (Betty) of Fort Yates, ND, Lyle Iron Horn (Sophia) of Kyle, SD, Virgil Taken Alive (Darlene) of Little Eagle, Wyman Archambault (Charlotte) of Fort Yates, ND, Jesse "Jay" Taken Alive (Cheryl) of McLaughlin, Hank Taken Alive (Donna), Robert Taken Alive, and Stephen Crawford Taken Alive (Juliana) all of Little Eagle; her daughters Faith Taken Alive, Ardyce Taken Alive, and Leah Taken Alive all of McLaughlin; 54 grandchildren; 105 great grandchildren; 20 great-great grandchildren; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews; and the many young people who called her "Unci."

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her brother William Helper, Sr.; her sons Arthur Taken Alive, Sr., William Taken Alive, and Herman Taken Alive; 2 grandsons; 2 granddaughters; and 3 great granddaughters.