Funeral services for Irene Poor Thunder, 79, of McLaughlin, will be at 11:00 am, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at the Mclaughlin Blue Gym. Burial will be at the Bear Soldier Cemetery, rural McLaughlin. A procession will leave Kesling Funeral Home at 5:00 pm, Monday, July 27, 2026, to Mclaughlin with a prayer service starting at 7:00 pm. Irene passed away on Friday, July 10, 2026, in Mclaughlin.

Irene Pearl (Chapman) Poor Thunder was born on December7, 1946, in Ft. Yates, ND, to Ernest Chapman and Bessie Agatha Kidder. She grew up in Ft. Yates, ND, and later in life she moved to Poplar, MT, where she met Lary Haulton Sr. in this union she had Bernita Chapman (Don Granbois). She then moved back to Standing Rock where she met William Joseph Jordan and in this union she had Gene Daniels Sr., Michelle Daniels (Ridley). Later on she met Charles Brown and in this union had Charley Chapman and later met Melvin White Shield and Mildred White Shield, then met Glen Yellow and had Ernestine Yellow and finally married Douglas Archambault Sr. and had two kids, Williamette Archambault and Patrick Archambault. They got divorced and she married Everette Poor Thunder Sr. and in this union adopted Everette Poor Thunder Jr.

Irene went to various schools in Ft. Yates and Pierre. She later went to college for nursing. Irene worked various jobs including IHS Clinic as a nurses aid, PKC in housekeeping, (where she would walk even through a blizzard with her blanket). One job she loved talking about was working in the field with her dad.

She was the oldest out of her siblings and being young they all had to work. She loved going to pow wows to watch her grandkids dance (Ivy, Wynter and Eshnala, Isabella and Brooklynn). She enjoyed being around her grandkids/great grandkids and loved cook outs and going to the Bay.

Irene is survived by her kids, Bernita Ann Chapman (Granbois), Michelle Ridley, Gene Daniels Sr., Charley Chapman, Mildred Daniels, Ernestine Yellow, Williamette Archambault, Patrick Archambault, Everette Poor Thunder Jr., stepsons, Kirk (Corkey) Flying Horse Sr., Bisco Starr, Greg and Tammy (T-Spoon) and all her grandkids and great grandkids (Whom she loved dearly).

Irene is preceded in death by her parents, Ernest Chapman and Bessie Agatha Kidder, siblings, Violet (Grey Hawk) Kidder, Bun Chapman, Verna (Reeds) Chapman, Janice (Hamilton) Chapman

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