EAGLE BUTTE, SD – Henrietta Laundreaux, affectionately known as Rita or Hank, 80, of Eagle Butte, passed away Sunday, August 16, 2026, at Cheyenne River Health, Eagle Butte.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. CDT, Monday, August 24, 2026, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, White Horse, SD. Burial will follow in St. Theresa’s Catholic Cemetery, White Horse. Family and friends are cordially invited to gather, share memories, and honor the life of a remarkable woman who lived a life full of love and compassion.
Henrietta Louise Laundreaux was born on February 20, 1946, in Old Cheyenne Agency, Eagle Butte, SD. Henrietta was the second of ten children born to the late Louis J. Laundreaux Jr. and the late Dorothy M. Laundreaux (Brazeau). Her early years were spent with her immediate family as well as her grandparents. She eventually moved to Fort Yates, ND, where she graduated from high school.
Following graduation, Henrietta moved to Aberdeen, SD, where she attended Stewart’s School of Hairstyling. She earned her certificate there and entered the workforce thereafter.
Henrietta later returned to Fort Yates, where she worked in hair salons and also worked for the public school system. During this time, she became a mother to her three children, Jeffrey Eugene, Richard Allen, and Melissa Marie. While she loved and cherished her children, she ended up meeting the love of her life, Robert Berg.
Both had a shared love for exploration and travel. That passion led them to embark on travel that took them to places in Washington, Oregon, and California before eventually returning home.
She and Bob landed in Aberdeen, SD. Both attended Presentation College where they both received degrees in Early Childcare Development and Histotechnology, respectively. Before long, Henrietta once again felt the travel bug calling as work took them to Chicago first, then onto Oklahoma, and ultimately to Florida, where they resided for multiple years.
Eventually, home came calling again. She and Bob moved back to the Midwest, Brooklyn Park, MN, where they lived with her son, Richard, and wife Jessica, for several years. During this time, she lost her beloved Bob as he developed severe dementia and ultimately succumbed to the disease.
After Bob’s death, she continued her retirement life and lived in Brooklyn Park for several more years before ultimately moving to Rapid City, SD where she lived with her daughter, Melissa, and her boyfriend, Paul Raba. She lived with them until she later returned to Eagle Butte, where she resided at Medicine Wheel Care Facility until her passing.
In her later years, Henrietta especially cherished time spent with family and friends. She had the true gift of conversation and could spark an endless conversation with anyone willing to listen. Her daughter, Melissa, and daughter-in-law, Jessica, got the brunt of those endless conversations! It was always best when she was together with her brothers and sisters, where the laughter was endless and those giggles could make anyone near join in on the spot! It was truly infectious!
Despite her modest financial means, Henrietta was well known for her very giving nature. She supported several charities including the Boys and Girls Club, National Geographic, Disabled Veterans, and Boys Town. Her unwavering desire to help others, even at the expense of her own resources, was truly admirable.
Henrietta is survived by her three children: Jeffrey (Tomi) of Mandan, ND, and his children, Sean and Kaytlin; Richard (Jessica) of Oak Grove, MN, and their children Braden, Kinsley, and Alexander (her “buttercup”); and Melissa (Paul) of Rapid City, SD.
She is also survived by her siblings and their families: Deborah Sherwood of Mobridge, SD, and her daughter and granddaughter; Lillian “Annie” (Henry) Harrison of Fort Yates, ND, and their children and grandchildren; LeRoy (Bonnie) Laundreaux of Cannon Ball, ND, and their children and grandchildren; George Laundreaux of Mobridge, SD, and his children and grandchildren; Cyril Laundreaux of Holdenville, Oklahoma, and his children and grandchildren; and Monique Maxon of Mobridge, SD, and her children and grandchildren.
Henrietta was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Dorothy; brothers, Louis C., Richard Dean, Pierre Wayne, Sr., and Cyril Laundreaux, Jr.; along with her beloved companion, Robert Berg.
Her life will be remembered for her kindness, warmth, generosity, infectious laughter, and humor that could light up almost any room. Her dedication to family and tradition, her love for exploration and travel, and the lasting impact she had on anyone she met will be forever etched in our hearts.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Henrietta’s arrangements.

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