PIERRE, SD – Pearl Stone, 72, of Pierre, SD, passed away on Saturday, January 24, 2026 in Sioux Falls, SD. An overnight wake will begin at 6:00pm on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at Lakota Chapel in Pierre and will end at 11:00am on Friday, February 6, 2026. There will be a prayer service at 7:00pm on Thursday evening during the overnight wake at Lakota Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:00pm on Friday, February 6, 2026 at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church with burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Pierre.

Pearl P. Stone began her journey to her ancestors on Saturday, January 24th, 2026, surrounded by loved ones.

Pearl was born on February 24th, 1953, on the family ranch in Two Strike, SD, during a blizzard, to Theresa Eagleman and Abel Stone.

She grew up in Antelope, SD, and graduated from Todd County HS, where she made many life-long friends. She was married. Then later became a devoted mother to Joseph Prue III (Billie), Deanna Prue (Igor), and Christy Bohannon (Troy). She will be dearly missed by them, her 14 grandchildren, sisters Audrey, Celeste and Abeleen, brother Roger, uncle, cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends.

Pearl graduated from Huron College with a Bachelor of Business Administration, moved to Pierre in 1980 and worked for South Dakota State government until her retirement in 2018.

A devout Catholic, Pearl regularly attended morning Mass, had an extensive list of loved ones that she prayed for daily, and if you rode in a car with her, you were bound to hear her say, “Jesus take the wheel!” She also found peace and comfort in the traditional Lakota ceremonies she was raised in, often joining her family in Rosebud to pray and support those who were participating in the Sun Dance.

She loved to travel, whether that was to spend time with her family, going on pilgrimages with her church family, or to a concert with friends. Of course, sampling food from near and far (especially crab legs) was something she really enjoyed, but burned it off by her countless miles of walking and hiking – with hiking up the Crazy Horse Memorial being a yearly favorite. Pearlie never met a stranger, striking up conversations with people while waiting in lines or seated on an airplane. She even considered the four-legged animals her friends, walking many of her friends’ dogs – some who sent get-well cards while she was in the hospital.

A highlight of her life was getting to work on the movie Dances With Wolves. She was the Lakota extras Casting Coordinator and was a featured extra, ultimately working several months on the movie and getting to attend all of the cast and crew events, as well as attending the premier in Pierre. In her final days in the hospital, she still had many people commenting on how beautiful she was and that they were honored to have a “movie star” in their midst.

Pearl extended her generosity of spirit to her communities. She volunteered at the Hospice Thrift Store, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, the PTA, and was a Reading Buddy for 1st-2nd graders at the Pierre Indian Learning Center.

Seemingly healthy her whole life, Pearl began feeling ill around Thanksgiving. With a grim diagnosis of incurable kidney cancer a month later, with the help of her family, she began scheduling appointments and procedures to hopefully gain some quality of life for the potentially short amount of time she had left. Unfortunately, the type of cancer she had was rare and extremely aggressive. Her body began to fail, her kidneys gave out, and she made the decision to start end-of-life care. She was incredibly peaceful, gracious, and thankful to all who supported her and helped her not only during these last couple of months, but along her entire life.

She especially appreciated her children, sister Celeste, and niece Michelle who were constantly at her side for the last few weeks of her life, praying with her, laughing and sharing stories, and ensuring she was comfortable. The family sends their heartfelt gratitude to all the extended family and friends who helped with an encouraging word, a meal, a place to stay, as well as comfort as we sent mom on to her next journey.

Pearl will be remembered for her gorgeous smile, warm hugs, and kind words. She sends you all her sincere thanks and love and says tókša akhé (see you later).

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