Funeral services for Maurice Little Bear, 47, of McLaughlin, SD, will be at noon, Thursday, February 25, 2016, at the McLaughlin Blue Gym. An all-night wake will start at 5 PM, with services at 7 PM, at the gym on Wednesday. Maurice passed away on Sunday, February 14, 2016, at the Sanford Health Center of Bismarck, ND. Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge is in charge of arrangements.


Maurice Emeron Little Bear was born on January 27, 1969 to Elias and Wilma Little Bear in Fort Yates, North Dakota. To those of us who knew him well he was Morris or "Mo". After losing his parents at a very young age, Morris was raised and adopted by Charles and Edith White and grew up southeast of McLaughlin.


Maurice started his education at the Little Eagle Headstart and then continued his schooling at the McLaughlin Public School, graduating in May 1987. The highlights of high school included playing on the football team and going to state in 1985. After graduation, he attended the Kicking Horse Job Corp in Montana where he received a butcher's certificate and then a culinary arts certificate as well. He returned home to South Dakota to seek employment. He then met Trina Otter Robe and they were united in marriage on January 8, 1999 in Fort Yates, North Dakota. From this union, five children were born Thomas, Wilma, Maria, Charles, and Angel. Morris and Trina then divorced. Morris later met Natalie American Horse and from this relationship, a daughter Blayz was born.


Maurice was employed as the head cook for the Aberdeen Area Youth Treatment Center from 1996 to 1999. He held numerous jobs over the years including construction work and he even worked the Red River Valley Sugar Beet harvest. Morris decided to return to school and attended Sitting Bull College and received his Associates of Science in Environmental Science in 2013. He went on and finished his Bachelor's degree in 2014 with a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Science. He was most recently employed with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's Nutrition for the Elderly Program as their head cook. His future plans were to go back to Sitting Bull College to obtain his Master's Degree in Environmental Science.


These are some of the things that brought joy to him over the years, first and most importantly his children. He enjoyed watching both sons play football, first Thomas, and then Charles. The L.A. Raiders was his favorite NFL team. His past times included fishing in the summer with his sons, nephews, and friends and hunting in the fall/winter. He held a vast collection of knives that he started over the years. He loved to cook and attend family gatherings. He became the family's "grill master" at cookouts. He held all his recipes in his head and would not share them with any one, when asked for one of his famous recipes he would say, "if I tell you, I'll have to kill you."

Maurice is survived by his children, Thomas (Brianna), Wilma, Maria, Charles, Angel, and Blayz Little Bear; his stepdaughters April (Mario) Lopez, Dana (Tommy) Otter Robe, and Dawn LeClair; his grandchildren, Kai'yah LeClair, Amias Delong; Ja'Niyah Little Bear, Darian Walking Elk, and Kella Delong; his sister Deloris Yellow Horse and family; his brother Nelson (Elaine) Little Bear and family; his adoptive mother, Edith White; adoptive brothers, Gillard White and family, and Nigel White and family; adoptive sisters: Florence White and family, Cheryl White Tail and family, Jackie (Whit) White-Jones and family, Donna Situpi Ska (Steve Thompson) and family; Theresa White (Mikki Heckman); Charlene Claymore (Kevin Fischer) and family.

Maurice was preceded in death by his grandparents John & Agnes Little Bear, William & Florence Taken Alive; his parents Elias & Wilma Little Bear; his adoptive father Charles White; his brother William (Bob) Little Bear; his sister April Little Bear; his adoptive sister Ella White Tail; his nephew Charles "Charlie" White Tail; his niece Alethea Little Star; and granddaughter Amiyah Talley.