Ashley Scares The Hawk, 38, of Sioux Falls, entered the spirit world, Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, surrounded by family.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. MST, Saturday, March 8, 2025, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte. Burial will follow in St. Paul’s Episcopal Cemetery, LaPlant. Wake services will be 7:00 p.m., Friday March 7, 2025, at the church with a procession from the 4-mile at 4:00 p.m.

Ashley Tatum Scares The Hawk was born May 6, 1986, in Eagle Butte, SD to Dawn Scares The Hawk. She went by nicknames such as “Ash”, “Tatum”, or “Ashcheeks” jokingly by family.

She grew up in Minneapolis with her mom, second dad Tai, sisters, cousins, and aunts – the home always filled with kids running around and being loud.

Around 1998, Ashley went to live in Pierre, SD with her Aunt Debbie, Uncle Terry and cousins Terry Jr., Ron, Eric and Nick. Then around 2001, she lived in Irving, TX with her aunts Marge and Iris and cousins Lacey, Aaron, Andrew, and Hieu.

When her mom Dawn passed away in June 2004, it signaled a rough life ahead for 18-year-old Ashley. Eventually, Ashley would return to Minneapolis (“Southside” as she called it), working, hanging out with friends, living life. In 2016, Ashley moved back to Pierre, SD for a change of scenery and to be closer to family. She did good during this time- staying clean and working as a line cook- she loved to cook food, even if she burned it most of the time.

Ashley had a love for art, music, poems, and inspirational quotes. She loved Asian food, being around family, and watching movies. She treated her cats like people and talked to them the same way. She grew up with long hair that she didn’t like to comb when she was younger and eventually adopted her clothing style that everyone came to know: a durag, ballcap, black/white t-shirt, jeans, and Nike shoes.

Around November 2022, Ashley was diagnosed with kidney failure and started dialysis treatments at Avera in Sioux Falls. This diagnosis was a tough blow to the otherwise strong-willed Ashley, and she managed to push through it for a few years.

When asked to describe her or memories of her, her family said:

·         Ashley was funny, always positive and Southside Texas till the day she died LOL. She loved her family. Fiercely always made sure they were okay and would do anything for them

·         Her laugh was something contagious, and she was always laughing.

·         I found $50 on the ground at the corner store. I didn’t know how much money that was in kindergarten, so she traded my $50 for her Tamagotchi. She bought Nike shoes, and I think killed my pet. She was also obsessed with having a butt chin and she’d fold her chin in to make it one.

·         She was the most hilarious storyteller. She could just make us laugh so hard with the simplest story, but it was how she told it is what made it so funny

·         She lived her life in a positive and negative world every day, and every day was different

Ashley is survived by sisters: Quynh Nguyen, San Diego, CA, Kelsey (Luke) Scares The Hawk, Milaca, MN, and Brandi (Jerry) Nguyen, Savage, MN; aunts: Debbie High Bear, Brookings, SD, Marjorie Runion, Pierre, SD and Iris Canar, Tucson, AZ; uncle, Steven (Candace) Scares The Hawk, Pierre, SD; second dad who helped raise her, Tai “Ba” Nguyen, Milaca, MN; cousins who were more like siblings and thick as thieves: Lacey Scares The Hawk, Pierre, SD, Aaron Scares The Hawk (Le), Pierre, SD, and Andrew Talks, Burnsville, MN; many other cousins, nephews, and nieces too numerous to name and friends she met throughout her life.

Ashley was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Flora (Village Center) & Raymond Scares The Hawk; aunt, Mary (French) Scares The Hawk (2012); aunt, Patricia (Lebeau) Scares The Hawk (2014); aunt, Alyce (Elhry) Scares The Hawk (2020); uncle, James Scares The Hawk (2024); cousins: Brandon Laroche (2006), Karen LeBeau (2021), and Shayne Lebeau (2023); last but certainly not least, her Most Beloved Mom, Dawn Scares The Hawk (2004), who was there with open arms as she crossed over.

I am not a victim of my life

what I went through

pulled a warrior out of me

and it is my greatest honor to be her

-rupi kaur

We would like to express our thanks to all those who supported our family during this time. While we mourn the loss of Ashley, we want everyone to celebrate her, remember her, and live a long life for her.

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

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