Garland Maupin Jr., 39, of Bear Creek and Ridgeview, SD, passed away peacefully Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at Cheyenne River Health Center, Eagle Butte, surrounded by family and friends

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. MST, Friday, February 6, 2026, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte. Burial will follow in Bordeaux Family Cemetery, Ridgeview. A wake service will be 6:00 p.m., Thursday, February 5, 2026, at the church with a procession from the 4-Mile at 4:00 p.m.

Born on July 9, 1986, in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, Garland Jr., aka “Thumper” has fond memories of growing up in BIA and enjoyed riding his bike around the neighborhood while visiting and getting ice cream at Tastee Freeze. Later, the Maupin family moved to Laplante where he attended school. Thumper has many fun memories of his siblings, including when he adopted a baby buffalo with his brother Ted. He had good memories with friends and cousins at Tiospaye Topa and graduated there. He attributes graduating high school to his sister Tanna who made sure he did all his schoolwork.

After graduating high school, he went to work in Wyoming but decided to come home where he started working at the Game, Fish and Parks. There he met Shantoya Waloke and together they had Hunter Rose Maupin. Thumper was proud to support Shantoya in “raising” her children. He enjoyed taking his “little partner” Hunter fishing and hunting. After getting his CDL, Thumper began working at Cheyenne River Gas Company. He shared countless hours of delivering propane even during inclement weather, he would sleep at the office and then go back out and deliver. He is proud to have worked at the Gas Company for 15 years. In 2020 during the summer, he worked at the checkpoints and made many more new friends.

Thumper met Louise online on Facebook, and after several attempts to meet up, they finally went to Pierre together and ate at Guadalajara for their first date. From that day on they were inseparable and really enjoyed each other’s company. Thumper told Louise he “always wanted to be a family man” and took care of her when she was ill. After four months of dating, Thumper took Louise to the courthouse and married her on December 4, 2020. Thumper enjoyed fishing, hunting and grilling out with Louise and her children. He was proud to have taken his stepson Bobby Yazzie to get his first white tail deer. Thumper had a big heart and honored Bobby during graduation by getting him a medicine wheel and feather. Not only was he a father figure to Louise’s children, he also was a mentor to his nephew Teegan and would refer to him as “my boy”. Whenever Thumper was out fishing or hunting, he would make sure to message Teegan, if Teegan didn’t message first.

He always told stories about fishing in the Lee dam and hunting nearby Ridgeview. Thumper was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was good with his hands at fixing almost anything. Thumper was also a “social butterfly”. Wherever he went he really enjoyed visiting people, even as far south as Hot Springs, Arkansas and as far north as Linton, North Dakota. Thumper loved to grill and cook. He would grill for his “Bear Creek Crew” the neighborhood kids in Bear Creek, his stepchildren’s birthdays and for the Open Door Fellowship Sunday service. Thumper will be dearly missed by the ones he loved and those whose lives he touched.

Thumper (Garland, Jr.) is survived by his loving wife, Louise (Uses Knife) Maupin; daughter, Hunter Maupin; stepchildren: Bobby Yazzie, Jordan Yazzie, Thelma Yazzie, Kingston Yazzie, and Samuel Uses Knife; mother, Jennifer Maupin; siblings: Darlyn, Terri Rose, Ted Maupin; special niece, TJ Maupin and special nephew, Trastin Longbrake and many other nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by Baby Maupin; his father, Garland Maupin, Sr.; siblings, Tracy Dean and Tanna Maupin; nephew, Taten Maupin; special aunt, Rosie Arpan; grandparents, Arthur and Eveline (Hodgkiss) Maupin.

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

1. Add to favourites
2. Report abuse