Sylvan Ray Dupris, 69, of Iron Lightning, passed away Monday, October 21, 2024, at his home. 

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. MDT, Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte. Burial will follow in St. Luke’s Episcopal Cemetery, Iron Lightning, SD. A wake service will be 6:00 p.m., Monday, October 28, 2024, at the church, with a procession from the 4-Mile at 4:00 p.m.

Sylvan Ray was born on December 30, 1954, at their stucco house in the Iron Lightning Community. Grandma Dora Talks was the midwife/nurse who helped bring Ray into the world. He was greeted by three older brothers’: Darrell Dean, Aldred “Onion” and Ethan Allen. Later his three younger sisters’ joined them: Shirley Lavonne, Valerie Pearl, and Aurellia. Ray was raised in Iron Lightning and attended day school there. In September 1963, they lost their mother, this is when Ray and his siblings moved to Dupree to live with their Unci Amy & Lala Ed Clown. Ray went to school and stayed in the dorms in Eagle Butte. Ray then went to school in Dupree and graduated in 1973.

Ray liked to go places, and he didn’t need a car. Ray would get on the road and make it there in no time. His brother, Ethan, lived in California and this is where Ray enjoyed going. Ray made friends everywhere he went. On one of his adventures he met Sonya Chappelle, from San Francisco, CA. Sonya came back to South Dakota with her daughter, Lisa Jack and stayed with Ray in Iron Lighting. (Lisa is one of the relatives who welcomed him home in Heaven) Then he met Jackie Bissley, who blessed Ray with a son, Waziya Tate Omani Dupris, who was born in 1993. Waziya was his father’s pride and joy, and would always bring him up in a conversation, how proud he was of his son. Ray continued to reside in Iron Lightning and made his handmade bone jewelry and sold it to many people, across the United States and overseas. Ray also tanned hides; he used the hides in making of his jewelry. He also made recordings with other Elders and told their stories. Ray picked sage for Prairie Edge in Rapid City, SD. He taught some of his younger relatives to pick sage, tan hides and began to show them how to make his jewelry. When the motorcycle rally in Sturgis came annually, he would make his jewelry and take it out there. While there, Ray would attend concerts. Ray had a wide variety of music he enjoyed listening to. Ray was a regular calling in to the KLND radio station, then when Cheyenne River set up their own radio station, KIPI, he would call in and became known as “Zen Man”.

In 2023, Ray’s health started failing, and he came to IHS in Eagle Butte, weekly. Ray temporarily moved to town for a few months (his house was being renovated) and while uptown he couldn’t wait to get back to Iron Lightning. Ray would call almost daily to check when his house would be done. When Ray would see any of the takoja’s, niece’s and nephew’s, he was happy to see them all and would catch up on how each one was doing. Ray will be missed, he was a true Lakota Warrior, Sundancer, fluent Lakota speaker, Brother, Leksi, Lala, Great Lala, Friend and Relative. 

Ray is survived by his son, Waziya Dupris and Jackie Bissley of California; brother, Ethan and Julie Dupris of Hollister, CA and their children Missy, (Brent, Jhett & Cora Wilson), and Peter Dupris; sisters: Shirley L. Dupris-Dog Eagle, and her children, Doreen, Kracy, Mona, Cody, Efton and Samantha Dog Eagle, Valerie Dupris-Curley and her children, Delaine, Luther & Julie Blue Thunder and Lester Clown, Alana Parker and Tyler Parker (Aurellia’s children) and Dean Dupris (Darrell’s surviving son); cousins/sister’s: Barb Dupris, Carol Knight, Connie Dupris, Marcy Miner, Sharon Vogel, Mary Lee Johns, Faye High Elk, Inez Iron Bird, Michelle White Wolf, and Trude Clown; cousins/brother’s: Kermit Dupris, Dana Dupris, Curtis Rave, True Clown, Jr. Brad Clown, and Todd Clown; and hunka sister: Carol Mann. 

Preceding Ray in death: parents, Wilbur & Edith (Iron Bird) Dupris; brother’s: Darrell Dupris and Aldred Dupris; sister: Aurellia Red Horse-Dupris; grandparents: Douglas Dupris, Eliza Poor Buffalo, Sullivan & Gertrude (Iron Lightning) Iron Bird, Amy & Ed Clown; nephews: Sylvan Ethan Dupris, Harold (Bucca) Blue Thunder, Jr., Courtney (KoKo) Curley, and Wilbur Dupris; and granddaughter, Jarryn Agneaux. 

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

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