Funeral services for William Rivers, 68, of Eagle Butte will be at 11 AM, Friday, July 25, 2025. the Eagle Butte Bingo Hall. Burial will be at the LaPlant Congregational Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. A procession will meet at the 4-mile junction at 4 PM Thursday to process to the bingo hall for services at 7 PM. William passed away Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Monument Health in Rapid City.

William Rivers was born May 24th, 1957, at the Old Agency Hospital, to Alma (Bird necklace) Rivers and Alvin Rivers Sr. Bill, as they would also call him Billy or Wild Bill, grew up in La Plant, South Dakota. His family then relocated to Eagle Butte and Bill attended high school in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, where he graduated in 1976. Bill was a direct Descendant of Chief Puffing Eyes and was proud to be. Bill was a horse man and loved horses, he broke many horses. Bill was also a carpenter and loved gardening. In 1982, Bills only son Justin Christopher was born January 19th, next his first daughter Sonya Leigh was born October 14th, and then his last daughter Erica Faye was born in 1983, December 27th. He treasured all his children and grandchildren. He loved his auntie Pearl Brings Horses and Ione Opp and all his aunties, his nephews Francis Jewett, Jayme Rivers, Shane Bruguier, CJ and Cambryn Rivers and all the other nephews. He loved his nieces Desirae Howard and Andrea Two Crow and all the rest of his nieces. In 2005, he married the love of his life Sylvia Sharp Butte, and he loved her children like they were his own especially Billy and took after her sons as his own. Bill loved to hang with a lot of people that were on the street and the people in the New Hope Shelter where he resided. He had a few cats that he loved and claimed. Bill was always on the road with Roberto and Marie to go and visit his wife in the care home in Pierre, he grew a bond with Roberto and Marie’s dog. Bill loved his daughters and always checked up on Sonya weekly. Bill was a good dad and loved his grandson DJ and granddaughters Claire and Sophia. He will be truly missed, as he was a changed man for the better and grew to be such a kind man.

He is survived by his daughters Sonya Rivers Brown of La Plant, South Dakota, Erica Rivers of Martin, South Dakota, grandson DJ Bissonette (Charger) of La Plant, South Dakota and Grand Daughters Claire and Sophia Pearman of Martin, South Dakota. He also is survived by siblings Karen Rivers, Patrick Rivers, Arnold Rivers, of Eagle Butte, Debbie Provincial of Flandreau, South Dakota, Carla Rivers, Colleen Rivers and Julia Rivers of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Myron Rivers of Montana, the late Denise (Lavon) Two Crow Rivers and The Late Junior Rivers, and numerous nieces and nephews, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren and a lot of friends.

William (Bill) is preceded in death by his grandparents, maternal grandmother Elizabeth Lebeau and William Rivers, paternal grandparents, mother Alma (Bird Necklace) Rivers and Father Alvin Rivers, sisters Pamela Rivers and Denise (Lavon) Two Crow Rivers, brothers Alan Rivers and Junior Rivers, son Justin Christopher, and niece Pamela Rivers and nephew Alan Two Crow and all nieces and nephews that went on and cousin Jimmy Brings horses and all the other cousins and aunties all the many that went on before him.

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