Delano Gene Claymore, 1944-2021
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Feb 9, 2021 | 11:21 AM / 734 views
Mass of Christian Burial for Delano Eugene Claymore, 76, of Aberdeen will be Friday April 9, 2021, starting with a video presentation at 9:45 AM, followed by Mass at 10:00 AM at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Ft. Yates, ND. Burial will be at 3:00 PM in the North Dakota state Veteran’s Cemetery in Mandan, ND under the direction of Kesling funeral Home of Mobridge. Delano passed away Monday, February 8, 2021, at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen. Masks will be required for the service and lunch.
Delano Eugene (Del Gene) Claymore was born on December 19, 1944 to Sidney Charles and Doris D. (Lecompte) Claymore in Fort Yates, ND. He received his education in Fort Yates graduating in 1962. He graduated valedictorian of his class. He continued his education at Bottineau School of Forestry in Bottineau, ND for two years and then transferred to Utah State University, Logan, Utah, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Range Management in 1966. After graduating he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Washington, DC. He was proud of his military service and was honorably discharged from the Army in June of 1968. He was a proud member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
After, discharge he returned to Fort Yates and worked for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe for a short time. Thereafter, he was offered and accepted a position with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Aberdeen, SD. From Aberdeen, he transferred to Albuquerque, NM continuing his employment with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. After a few years, he transferred to Denver, CO working for the Bureau of Reclamation as the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. When Reclamation closed its office in Denver, he transferred to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Aberdeen, SD accepting the position of Human Resource Officer. He retired from federal service in September 1995 after 28 years of federal service.
It was while, he was in Aberdeen that he met his significant other (fiancé), Bille Black. They just celebrated their 33rd anniversary on December 31, 2020. Bille was Del’s primary caregiver after his cancer diagnosis in the fall of 2019. Del Gene developed a very close relationship with Bille’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They referred to Del Gene as grandpa. Over the years, Bille and Del Gene traveled extensively. They visited Europe twice and visited many places in the continental U.S. and Alaska.
He looked forward to the spring and summer months when he could go home (Fort Yates) to spend a few days to control the prairie dog population on the reservation. He became active member in the “Cowboy Fast Draw Association”. He placed third in the ‘Fast Draw” association’s world competition held in Deadwood, SD. His Fast Draw moniker was “Wild Horse Del”.
Recently, he was elated when he was advised that the cancer spread was under control. He was walking, driving, and looking forward to his next trip to Montana. Then he was diagnosed with the damn COVID, he was immediately hospitalized and was in the hospital for exactly one week when he succumbed to the virus on Monday, February 8, 2021.
Del Gene is survived by his mother and step-father, Doris and Charles Soiseth; brother, Scott Jacobson; fiancé, Bille Black and family; maternal aunt, Victoria Putnam and family; paternal uncle, Delano LeCompte and family; Gwen (Gordon) Valandra’s surviving children; brother-in law, Leroy Dubray; sister-in law, Charlene Claymore; daughter, Lori Martin; nieces: Margaret Ann (Charles) Krebs, Deeann (Warren) DuBray, Anya (Randy) Bearghost, and nephews: Richie Claymore, Justin Yellowfat, Kansas (Deeann) Dubray, Jamus Meade, Brady and Brett Claymore. His first cousin, Alsace LaFramboise, who he referred to as his other little sister. He is also survived by many other first cousins: Faye Brooks’ family, Don Claymore’s children, Myrna Watters’ children and Rita Luepke’s family.
He was preceded in death by his father, Sidney Charles Claymore; paternal grandparents, Peter S. and Mary B. (Bear King) Claymore; maternal grandparents, Obede and Cecilia (Skinner) LeCompte, niece and nephew, Lisa Marie Claymore and Carl Claymore; siblings: sister Linda Lou DuBray, brothers, Richard Lee Claymore, Sidney Carl Claymore, Kenneth Charles Claymore and Brent James Claymore; maternal, Aunt and Uncle, Gwen (Gordon) Valandra and Dean LeCompte; paternal aunts and uncles, Alsace Claymore, Faye (Ray) Brooks, Myrna (Norman) Waters, Rita (Sy) Luepke, Clinton Putnam and Donald (Leona) Claymore.