Carmen Eileen Means-Marschalele, 1964-2021
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Mar 15, 2021 | 10:52 AM / 800 views
Carmen Eileen Means-Marschalek, 57, of Eagle Butte passed away Saturday, February 27, 2021 at the Cheyenne River Health Center in Eagle Butte. Private Family services will be at 11 AM, CT, Saturday, March 20, 2021, at Kesling Funeral Home in Mobridge. Services will be live streamed on the Kesling Funeral Home Facebook Page.
Carmen Eileen (Means) Marshalek was born on February 11, 1964, to Cecil and Germaine (White Eyes) Means at the Memorial Hospital in Gettysburg, South Dakota. She was the 6th of 7 children. Carmen was named after her dad’s sister, Eileen. Isnala Waste Wiyan (Only Good Woman) was Carmen’s Lakota name.
Carmen was a daddy’s girl; they would ride out in the pasture talking about everything but most of the time nothing at all. She was one heck of a cook to her brothers during haying season, Carmen would always make the best meals. Everyone in the family knew Carmen as “Cissy” with a “C”, till the day she knocked a heifer straight to her knees. That’s when the brothers started calling her “Sledge”.
Growing up Carmen and all of her siblings were in 4-H. In 1976 she broke the junior pole bending record riding her loyal and faithful horse, “Smokey Patches” at state. She and Smokey went on to win many more championships during their tenure together.
Carmen was known for the Tanya Tucker sound in her voice that amazed and memorized anyone that was listening. She was in many talent shows and was requested for wedding ceremonies. Carmen attended school at Cheyenne River Eagle Butte and was an all-around athlete and loved hanging with her rodeo crew. She was voted Homecoming Queen in 1981 and graduated in 1982.
In 1988, Carmen enlisted into the US Army and was deployed to different countries like Japan and Bosnia. She also had the honor of being a guard for first lady Hillary Clinton. While in the service Carmen went on to be awarded various medals and service ribbons, one that she was very proud of was her sharp shooter award with a rifle (m16).
On May 18th, 1991, Carmen gave birth to her first son, Daniel Lewis, then proceeded to give birth to her only daughter, Dana Nicole, on September 26th, 1992. On February 13th,1998, Carmen was pronounced married to Donald Marshalek, who happily adopted Daniel and Dana. The family grew when Carmen gave birth to her second son, Christopher Calvin on November 25th, 2003, a Thanksgiving baby.
Carmen loved being active and entertaining. She was a mother to many people throughout her life and a great mentor. The place that stole her heart was the Windswept Academy for sharing their little ones with her for positivity hugs.
The river and the ocean were where she loved to be with her kids, some would say she was part dolphin. Carmen had such a bright spirit and her children loved her unconditionally, Daniel would always call her his “Sun Child”.
Carmen loved to travel, her and her daughter started traveling to places they’ve haven’t been and nearly hit every state. One place she had to make sure she stopped at was the Grand Ole Opry. Carmen always identified herself as a Catholic since that’s how she was raised, but on October 6th, 2019, Carmen was baptized a Baptist at the First Baptist church in Eagle Butte.
Carmen is survived by her sons, Daniel and Chris, and daughter, Dana. She is also survived by one sister, Connie Means and four brothers, Galen, Cj, Bucky, and Shawn.
Preceding Carmen in death are her parents, Cecil and Germaine Means, her sister, Donna Rae Petersen, and her grandson, Isaiah Alexander.