Helen Alkire, 1938-2021
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Nov 3, 2021 | 10:05 AM / 1293 views
Funeral services for Helen Alkire, 83, of Ft. Yates will be at 10 AM, Friday, November 5, 2021, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church in McLaughlin. Burial will be at 3 PM Friday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan. Procession will be from the Cattleman’s at 5:30 Thursday to the church with services at 7 PM. Helen passed away Sunday October 31, 2021, at her home. Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge is in charge of arrangements.
Wínyan Wakátinya
Woman Who Holds Herself With High Honor
Helen Cordelia (Dixie) Alkire, 83 years of age, was born on February 20, 1938 in Rock Creek, SD, to Winifred Crowghost (White Paw) and Samual Crowghost. Helen had one older sister and two younger brothers. She lived her childhood in Rock Creek, SD, eventually attended boarding school from 8th grade to high school. Where she learned English and her love for Jesus Christ.
Helen graduated high school and later became a teacher’s aid. In the 1970s, she graduated with her bachelors degree in early elementary education from the University of North Dakota, which began her 36 year career as an elementary school teacher. In those years she built many relationships with students whom now consider her their Unci. Following her first retirement, she served on the SRCS School Board. She then returned back to share her love for our language and became a Lakota Language teacher. In the late 1950’s, she married Basil Alkire with whom she has six children, one hunka son, and two hunka daughters. Helen had special relationships with each of her grandchildren and raised her great granddaughter Beautiful up until her death. She dedicated her life to Christ and shared this love with her family. Helen and her family enjoyed attending the Baptist and Episcopal church. She spent many years enjoying traveling with Basil to their children and grandchildren’s school activities, sports, powwows and rodeos. She loved being an active community member and traveling with friends and loved ones to community events. Helen enjoyed spending time at the casinos, where she loved to socialize and share stories with others. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, who took in anyone who was in need of a place to stay.
Helen will be dearly missed by her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren; Keith Jerome Alkire, Janet (Sherman Gallup) Alkire, Tamara Rae Alkire (Keith Fredericks), Pamela Rae Alkire, Robert Basil Alkire (Wildene), Beautiful Crowghost, Jesse James Alkire (Ashley, Jaid, Tila, Cadence, and Pax), Lance McAllister (Kimimila, Lola, Max, Harper, Cambrie, and Morning Star), Savannah Alkire (Andre and Khaliq), Nicole Alkire (Layla, Gun’r, Nora, and Willow), Hilary Alkire (Amar’e), Helen Thomas,
Betty Thomas, Autumn Alkire, Tianna (Bug) Alkire, Kai Alkire, Andrew Fredericks, Cierra and Kiara Aman, and Shelby Baker (T’ea).
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Basil Alkire, daughter, Stacey Alkire, granddaughter,
Ashley Alkire, and Jamie Red Bear.