Willard Roy Demery, 41, of Cherry Creek, passed away Friday, October 29, 2021, at Cheyenne River Health Center, Eagle Butte.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, November 15, 2021, at the Cherry Creek Gym. Burial will follow in Big Cottonwood Family Cemetery, Cherry Creek. A wake will be held at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14, 2021, at the gym with a procession from the 2-mile hill east of town at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Willard Roy Demery “Mahpiya Sapa” (Black Cloud) was born on January 11, 1980 to Clifford and Arlene Demery Sr. of Cherry Creek, SD. Willard was raised in Cherry Creek throughout his childhood. He attended Day School in Cherry Creek until the Takini School opened in 1989. He graduated from Takini High School in 1999.

He was happy to be done with school so he could work. He went to Utah to visit his sisters: Bernice, Mina, Desiree and their families. He spent time with each of them and enjoyed being there, so he moved in with his sister, Mina, and her husband, Ricardo. He started working with Ricardo at GEL, INC., where they built million-dollar golf courses. He handled and worked with different types of machinery. He drove a dump truck, backhoe, a F-600 leveler to fix the tees on the golf course, and he helped with the irrigation part of the company. He was so proud of his paycheck. He started saving up for a car. He was so proud of the car that he bought. It was a cream-colored Monte Carlo with murals of the Virgin Mary on the hood and trunk, it had blackout windows and a hydraulic system in it so you could raise the car up and down, raise the right or left side and make it bounce just like in the movies. He jammed out to Shakira “Hips Don’t Lie”, his favorite song. Boy did he love that song.

He moved back home and worked for Law Enforcement Security for two years and then worked for Indian Health Service Security for over 18 years. He loved his job and met a lot of people and made many friends throughout his career. In May of 2021 Willard was told that he had cancer, so he resigned due to his health condition.

Willard met Ramona on September 14, 2017, and they fell in love and started their life together. He liked to have family cookouts, movie nights, listen to music, dancing, swimming, fishing, playing his PS4 game, bingo, and hunting with his friends and baby brother.

He was all about family. He liked to tease and joke around. For many of you who knew Willard, you would know him as having a funny sarcastic side. He would find ways to put a smile on your face. He would always play the part as if nothing fazed him. He was good at hiding his emotions, good enough to win an “Academy Award”. Willard would always make sure his family and friends were doing okay. He would put others before himself and try his best to make you smile or laugh. He would say, “I don’t care if I make an (a??) of myself as long as I hear them laugh.” We love and miss you, Willard, and we will keep you in our hearts until we meet again “Mahpiya Sapa”.

Willard is survived by the love of his life, Ramona Bruiger, Big Cottonwood; mother, Arlene Demery, Big Cottonwood; brothers: Clifford Demery Jr. (Norma), Burlington, WA, Frenchy Demery (Kristen), Daniel Hayes Sr., and Lynus Hayes, all of Big Cottonwood; sisters: Patrichia Crow Ghost (David), Cherry Creek, Mina Castro (Ricardo), American Fork, UT, Desiree Demery, Eagle Mountain, UT, Bernice Demery, Pleasant Grove, UT, Lavay Hayes, Sharon Hayes, Darla Hayes, all of Cherry Creek, and Vanessa Hayes, Pierre.

Willard lays to rest with his grandparents, Frank and Edith Waloke; father, Clifford Demery Sr.; nephews: David “Chubbs” Crow Ghost Jr., Chastan Demery, Jacob Hollow Horn, Alvin Bowker, Marvin “Tune” Bowker Jr.; and the rest of his family in heaven.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Willard’s arrangements.

 

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