EAGLE BUTTE, SD – Cora Mae Haskell entered star nation unexpectedly on July 26, 2024, at IHS Hospital, Eagle Butte after a very brief bout with lung cancer. Throughout her cancer journey, Cora Mae maintained her kindness, grace, compassion, appreciation of beauty, love of family and friends, and expressed gratitude for her long life, full of wonderful memories and grand adventures. Cora Mae’s life can best be encapsulated by four words: Family, Faith, Education and Fun. In her 76 years here with us she experienced an abundance of each.
Funeral services will 10:00 a.m., MDT, Monday, August 5, 2024, at Cheyenne Eagle Butte Auditorium, Eagle Butte. Burial will follow in the Eagle Butte Cemetery. A prayer service will be 7:00 p.m., Sunday, August 4, 2024, at All Saints Catholic Church, Eagle Butte.
Cora Mae was born June 13, 1948, in Rapid City, SD to Lawrence and Hilda (Pritzkau) Fish. She was the 4th and final baby to join her older siblings, Jack, Rose, and Ralph “Sam”. She spent her early years in Lantry, SD where she was raised on the Fish Homestead north of town. She attended elementary school in Lantry until the 8th grade then transferred to Eagle Butte High School. Cora Mae started her family in 1964 when her king and first and only son, Kenneth, was born. Ken was soon followed by an army of sisters with Michelle in 1966, Valorie 1969, Nichole 1972, Jackie 1973, and Jessica in 1978. On December 8, 1972, she married the love of her life Charles “Chuck’ Haskell, Jr. Together they raised their six pack, starting in Lantry and eventually moving to BIA in Eagle Butte. In 1988, after the three older kids graduated, Chuck and Cora Mae decided to move to Gettysburg, SD with the three youngest. They resided in Gettysburg for the next six years before returning home to continue the remainder of their lives on the Fish Homestead in her parents’ home.
Cora Mae’s education and work career was one to be commended. Cora Mae attended Black Hills State College earning a 2-year degree in Medical Records in 1970, continuing her education at Black Hills until 1972 when she earned a double major in Business Education with four kids in tow. Upon returning home, Cora Mae worked at the Cheyenne River Alcohol Program from 1972-1977 until she began her lifetime career in teaching. In the fall of 1977, she started teaching in the Business Program at Cheyenne Eagle Butte High School where she remained for the next decade. In 1988 she and Chuck moved to Gettysburg for the next six years where she was a substitute teacher and worked at Langer’s Family Foods before moving back to Cheyenne River.
In 1992, Cora Mae started at the Si Tanka/Huron University (Cheyenne River Community College) and worked various positions during the next ten years, starting as an instructor for Vocational Education program teaching business and computers, becoming the Registrar, then the Dean of Students and finishing in 2002 as the Academic Dean. She was a huge advocate for continuing education and promoting lifelong learning. In 2003, at the age of 55 years, she completed her Master of Science Degree through Black Hills State University.
Cora Mae was an educator at heart, and in 2003 she started a new journey at Four Bands Community Fund, Inc, where she embarked upon her entrepreneurship and financial education career, changing the business environment on Cheyenne River dramatically. Throughout her career at Four Bands, she helped shape the lives of many, teaching them finances, credit building, and saving plans. Despite a long list of professional accomplishments, Cora Mae says the most rewarding part of her work is the many relationships she’s developed with clients and the continual gratification of seeing members of her community thrive. After 18 ½ years with FBCF, Inc., Cora Mae retired in December of 2021 and continued to maintain relationships with past clients who had turned friends.
During her career, she served on several local and national boards and received numerous accolades throughout her lifetime. Her truest passion was serving the Lord and her church at All Saints Catholic Parish. Her faith was unwavering and carried her through her journey. She thought highly of her community and was proud to call Cheyenne River her home.
Cora Mae cherished her friendships, developing them at each stage of her life, with most of these lasting the remainder of her life. At the time of her passing, Cora Mae still had friendships that she developed as a young child. Her friendships encompassed all aspects of life, and each was special to her, from phone call chats to joint family outings, to sharing meals, to class and family reunions, to adventures near and far. Her greatest adventures were those of family camping trips and her yearly trip to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally at the Buffalo Chip where she met not only friends from all over but friends that became part of her family. She loved going to a good concert, dancing and singing. Along with her six children and 18 grandchildren came a host of other children that she considered and loved as her own and are too many to count.
The crowning glory for Cora Mae was the arrival of grandchildren: Alex, Andrew, Deryk, McKenzie (Michael), Chandler, Teygan, Baillie, Tash, Colt, Chance, Kadyn (Tial), Sha’Teal, Kirbie (Kalin), Samantha, Clay, Myah, Stacey and Xander. She made it a point to be as engaged as possible with her grandchildren. From babysitting, attending sporting events, school activities and performances, and birthday parties she delighted in her grandchildren as much, if not more, than she delighted in raising her children. Granny also was blessed by 17 great grandchildren: Layceon, LaShaun, Chloe, Kopyn, Tysan, Tristan, Aidyn, Faith, Ky, Tippyn, Arzealya, Chance, Jr. Huntley, Jazlyn, Charles, Aubree and Baby Boy Waln.
She was a precious gem and appreciated all that life gave her. Even during the fight of her life and until the end Cora Mae maintained her kindness, grace, compassion, appreciation of beauty, love of family and friends, and expressed gratitude for the life she lived. Cora Mae lived life fully, she truly embodied a life well lived and she will be missed beyond measure here on earth. Your angel wings were earned, fly high Momma.
Cora Mae is survived by her children: Kenneth White Eyes, Michelle (Chad) Harstad, Valorie Arpan (Chris Johnson), Nichole White Eyes, Jackie Haskell and Jessica Haskell; 18 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; and a bonus grandson, Gavyn Spotted Tail; brother, Jack Fish; sister, Rose Ganje; sisters-in-law: Patricia Fish, Lonny Laniko Lee (Jerome), Vivian Haskell and Marsha Swanhorst; brothers-in-law: Larry Haskell, Garry (Sharon) Haskell, Delbert (Yevette) Haskell, Robert Haskell and Walter Dean Haskell; her many cherished nieces, nephews and cousins; and her cat, Salem Haskell.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; parents: Lawrence and Hilda Fish; brother, Ralph “Sam” Fish; grandson, Deryk Jay Ulmer; father-in-law, Charles “Chet” Haskell; mother-in-law, Delores Jordan; sisters-in-law: Charlotte Jordan and Bobbie Fish; as well as her bonus daughter, Robbie Marie Birkeland.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to all family, friends, former students and colleagues and to the community she loved. A heartfelt thank you to IHS Emergency Room and Ambulance Staff, Mom’s Avera Cancer Care Team, Dr. Sanford, Rena Robbennolt, Gavyn Spotted Tail, Danielle Williams with West Winds Home Health and Father John Paul Trask and the All Saints Catholic Parish.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Cora Mae’s arrangements. (www.familyfuneralhome.net)

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