Beatrice Red Fox, 1936-2022
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Feb 1, 2022 | 9:34 AM / 738 views
Beatrice Red Fox, 85, of Eagle Butte, passed away Friday, January 7, 2022, at Cheyenne River Health Care, Eagle Butte.
Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. MST, Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte. A wake service will be from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Monday, January 24, 2022, at the church with a procession from the 4-mile at 3:00 p.m.
Charlotte “Beatrice” Red Fox ~ “Wayang hi’ pi Win – Comes to see her” was born March 11, 1936, to Lawrence “Grover” Red Fox and Laura His Horse is Fast at On the Tree, SD. Bea was born at home by a midwife; Old Cheyenne Agency was too far to travel by team and wagon. At a young age Beatrice received her Lakota name “Come to see her”: she was given that name by a family whose daughter was very ill. Grover and Laura Red Fox along with their close knit Tiwahe and community members; went to pray and sing Lakota hymns for this child. When the child passed on; the daughter’s father gave Bea the Lakota name out of respect and honor for the days of Prayers and Singing for his young daughter.
Bea spent her childhood along Owl Creek, SD, along with her His Horse is Fast Tiwahe. Grover, her father, was a hired horse breaker for area ranchers. Laura, her mother, was a baker and seamstress. They were always involved with the community functions and surrounding areas. Bea grew up with cousins, Virgil Bowker and John C. Bowker, who were like brothers to her. While growing up with her cousins; they would chop wood for area relatives along the river like Red Dogs’, Blue Coats’, Larrabees’ and Madisons’, and Mom Laura would make baked goods to take to the families also. Bea was always helping with cattle drives and breaking horses with surrounding area ranchers along On the Tree, SD. Bea, her brother Steve, and cousins Virgil and John Bowker would ride 15 miles every day by horseback to Green Grass, SD for schooling. When they got to G. G. School, it was Steve’s job to take the horses to the community barn to water and feed them; but a majority of the time Steve wouldn’t come back to school.
Later on, in Bea’s childhood years, her Tiwahe and Uncle Pete His Horse is Fast moved to Green Grass, where schooling was closer. The Red Fox Tiwahe lived where the water tower is now in Green Grass, SD. The Red Fox Tiwahe and Tiospaye’s were involved in the community, church functions, and with traditional sweat lodges and Sundance’s. The Red Fox Tiwahe were always helping area ranchers; but whatever they did they did by horse riding or team and wagon.
In Beatrice’s adolescent days the Red Fox and His Horse is Fast Tiospaye built a frame house along the Cheyenne River SW of Cottonwood Creek: “ho’ dap” in Lakota is what it was named. Grover Red Fox started his cattle and horse raising along with his Tiospaye’s assistance. Steve and Bea were heavily involved in the horse raising and cattle business; Steve became a great Bronc rider while helping his dad Grover break horses. Bea became a barrel racer with her quarter horse “Two Bit”; they became great companions. This is when the Red Fox Tiwahe became heavily involved with the Rodeo Circuit at surrounding areas in South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. Steve traveled the circuit with the Gunville’s and Knight’s along with other Rodeo kola’s. Steve would get word to the Store in Cherry Creek, SD; to his folks where he would ride. Bea and her folks would pack up and travel to where Steve was riding; Bea would also perform alongside her brother Steve at rodeo events. Bea became a rodeo queen so for a year she traveled a lot. Bea along with her cousin Loveleah in the Woods and niece Virginia White Feather would ride horse back in Cherry Creek, SD and to Red Scaffold, SD either to School or just to go visiting relatives and checking fence lines. Grover, Steve, Bea and Pete His Horse is Fast, Virgil and John Bowker would herd cattle for “Diamond A Cattle Company” from the mouth of Cheyenne River all the way to Pierre, SD; many nights out in the open prairie with campfires for cooking.
Beatrice made her home in Promise, SD with her lifelong friend Elmer Traversie. When Chaske was one year old they took him in as their own, until the time of his passing in 2014. That is when Beatrice moved to town and lived the rest of her life with her daughter.
Beatrice was a loving mother and homemaker to Loren Anderson, Rilla and Clarice Condon, Patricia, Adriel, Eldred, Murray Red Fox and Mary Phillips.
Beatrice is survived by sister: Vivian Traversie, Eagle Butte; sons: Loren Anderson, Salt Lake City, Utah, Adriel “Mark” Red Fox, Chadron, Nebraska, Murray Red Fox, Eagle Butte; daughters: Rilla Noisy Hawk, Clarice Lara, Mary Phillips, Eagle Butte, Patricia Red Fox, On the Tree; grandkids: Tyrone Anderson, Railin, Shayla and Marita Noisy Hawk, Catie, Carlin ”Junebug” Brings Horse, Ernesto Lara, Peyton, Chauncey Ashley, Severt and Amber Red Elk, Taylia Edmo, Marlee and Rowdy Red Fox, Jaylynn Red Fox, Miranda and Dillion Red Fox- Waggoner Murray Jr., Kody and Shanelle Red Fox, Chaske Red Fox, Orin Miller. Grandma Bea had 35 great grandkids and four great-great grandkids.
Beatrice is preceded in death by sons: Baby Merle Phillips, Eldred “Jay” Red Fox; brothers: Rodger, Harry and Steve Red Fox; mother: Laura His Horse is Fast-Red Fox, father: Lawrence “Grover” Red Fox; niece: Anita Washburn; nephew: Alan Red Fox Sr.; grandsons: Alan Red Fox Jr., Matthew Red Fox, Bennett Red Elk; great grandson: Y’Min Brings Horse; husbands: Oscar Anderson, Kermit Phillips; and longtime friend, Elmer Traversie.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Beatrice’s arrangements.