Mass of Christian Burial for Mari Jaine White Bull, 56, of McLaughlin will be at 10 AM, CT, Saturday, August 13, 2016 at the Kenel Catholic Church of Assumption. Burial will be at the church cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Wake services will start at 7 PM Friday at the church with the procession leaving Kesling Funeral Home at 5 PM. Mari passed away Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at the Mobridge Regional Hospital.

MoJo Enjoyed Music and Loved Her Pets

Mary Jane White Bull was born prematurely February 14, 1960. Her twin sister Mary May remained with the spirits at childbirth. Soon after she arrived at the home of her paternal grandparents Julia and Old Jake White Bull's home west of Kenel, SD. Old Jake and Julia were mourning the death of Mary's father Alex White Bull who was killed December 1959. The tiny infant arrived at their door in a shoebox. The tiny bundle of joy lifted the heavy sorrow from Old Jake and Julia's hearts. She became permanently part of the White Bull Tiospaye.

Mary Jane entered the spirit world August 10, 2016. She is now with Jesus and her Grandma Julia, Aunt Joyce (LaRoche) White Bull, Aunt Veronica (Jiggs) (White Bull) Lawson who raised her because she was truly loved by them.

Her cousin Mark probably met her with his guitar, too and she's doing what she enjoyed, singing from an infant to a teenager Mary Jane grew under the guidance and teaching of Grandma Julia. A child's 1st teacher is their parents, the best 1st teacher are grandma's, grandma gave her structure. She went from a tiny baby to a tiny teenager, she learned household chores, cooking, sewing, beading, bible teaching, Lakota ways and culture. Grandma's can be living role models. So Grandma had given her granddaughter wholelistic. Teaching and learning before it was vogue in modern education.

Mary Jane attended the Pierre Leaning Center from K-8. Grandma was a school board member for PILC, so she made sure her grandchildren learned skills and drills to help them in the modern civilized world.

In 1973 Mary Jane grandparents suddenly went to the spirit world. Grandpa died from a lung disease acquired from WW1, he was a true warrior, Grandpa died a tragic death. She and her daughter in law both died in car collision with a drunken driver. Mary Jane was devastated. Joyce (LaRoche) White Bull picked up the ball and became Mary Jane's mother, a lifetime bond developed. Mary Jane went to high school in Lower Brule and graduated from Crow Creek. At Lower Brule as a freshman she tried out for basketball her uncle Doug was the coach. He told Joyce he thought she was to small, practice started the tiniest on the court, Mary Jane, there was a few notches above the rest, she made the starting five easily. She attended Black Hills University then she got into the work force. She worked in Pierre until Auntie Joyce talked her into moving to McLaughlin. She worked for Valentine and Ruth Kraft at their hardware store, after Val and Ruth retired she worked at PKC, she never missed a day and was always on time. Later she took a job with Early Head start, she loved kids.

A horrific accident nearly took the life of Mary Jane, but the strong Lakota women she became under the tutelage of her Grandma came through. She recovered from her injuries and took sons Shawn, Kyle and Von, they all graduated from high school. Mary Jane became a mother and a grandmother, her grandkids are in the primary grades. Her two nieces Julia and Twila are the other surviving members of her brother Alex "Smokey" White Bull. She was preceded in death by her brother Alex "Smokey" White Bull. Her Aunt Jiggs her other mother figure preceded Mary Jane to the Spirit World, Mary Jane loved her.