Deana Marie Medicine Horse LaForge

Deana Marie Medicine Horse LaForge 

Biiawassee,  "First Woman"

Deana was born on February 17, 1942 in Crow Agency to Thomas Medicine Horse Jr. and Isabelle Hill. She crossed to the other side camp on March 28, 2023. She had lived a full life but struggled with her health. She needed constant care and sister Patti Medicine Horse, niece Elizabeth Medicine Horse, grandkids Coty Rose, Tahnee and Raleigh Cloud devoted their time for her needs. Relatives would check on her and others would do housekeeping for her. On the 4th day of her life, in a traditional Crow naming ceremony, her maternal grandfather Good Horses gave her the name Biiawassee, First Woman. Her Sioux blood came from her father Thomas Medicine Horse Jr., son of Thomas Medicine Horse whose father was Medicine Horse AKA Left Hand Bear, a powerful Sundance Chief and healer of the Oglala Sioux. Her Crow blood came from her grandmother Julia High Hawk Medicine Horse and Josephine Good Horses Hill.

Deana grew up and attended school in Crow Agency. She worked for the Carpet Mill Factory for a number of years and later in her life she worked for the Crow Tribe’s Senior Center assisting with cooking and support for a great number of years. She always enjoyed working there even up to the day she fell ill, prior to her untimely death. She had mentioned that she always had a joy of visiting her friends and kept active as much as possible.

She started sun dancing at a young age with her mother Isabelle Hill, eventually, with most of her siblings and they became a strong sun dance family including the Medicine Horse and Hill families. She retired from sun dancing at the age of 75. She often entered a sun dance ceremony to fast and pray for her people, although she was not able to physically dance anymore. She was a very well-respected medicine woman and was called upon to provide prayer, perform naming ceremonies and healing. She passed on her medicine bundle to her adopted daughter Angie Louie in summer of 2022.

She loved to cook, spoil her grandchildren, sweat lodge/prayer ceremonies, watching TV shows Little House on the Prairie, The Golden Girls, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke, among many other old time shows. She loved the color purple and had a passion for collecting dairy cow statuettes or anything resembling it, that included hot pads, gloves, towels, you name it, she had it. Garage sales was a passion of hers, to stop and look. She liked a good deal although she really didn’t need it. With her sister Myrna, they made annual trips to Prairie Knights in Cannon Ball, North Dakota to see Charlie Pride concerts also to visit their brother, the late Donald Medicine Horse and his family. When her family was getting together, she was busy organizing giveaways, feast and just being there for support for all her family.

Her brother, the late Larson told stories about how she got her nickname, she was short and was a strong young lady. “We had our little gang of friends in the neighborhood”. We would bet on her and made her fight, she won almost every time, we made money and went to the store and got our candy. We all had nicknames and we started calling her “PeeWee” and that was the nickname everyone knew her by but, we were the ones who made her feared and famous!” Larson had a lot of stories about everyone in his family, sometimes he liked to stretched the truth to make it more interesting but definitely captivating good laughs.

She married Ben Cloud, Jr. December of 1957 and made their home in the Crow Agency area. Later they relocated to Los Angeles, California a couple of times and also to Illinois where Ben took part in Heavy Equipment Operator training in Joliet. Often taking trips to visit relatives that were living in Chicago. Deana and Ben had several children from this union, survivors Ben (Victoria), Troy, Chris, and Franklin. Preceded in death by Curtis, Donna, and Letha. After Ben’s death, Deana had another daughter Polly with Victor Fire Bear who both preceded her in death.

Eventually, she remarried to the Late Alex Laforge, Sr. and resided at Grey Blanket at the foot of the Wolf Mountains. He also, preceded her in death. She treated his children as her own. Deana had a very good heart and open arms to many others and adopted many children other than her own, often times from her children’s friends, she took them as her family.

She was preceded in death by her siblings TL Medicine Horse Sr, Donald and Darlene Medicine Horse, Hubert and Donna Dawes, Rosemary Dawes, Carolina, Thomasine, Janice, and Raleigh Kay Medicine Horse.

She is survived by siblings Patti Medicine Horse, Myrna MH Dawes, Tyler Medicine Horse, Ron Medicine Horse, Rick and Ethelene Two Dog. She raised three grandkids Coty Rose, Eliza and Raleigh. She was real close with the late Elmer Hill’s family, Harold, Sonny, Alma, Jonella, Agnes, Racheal, Tina, and Angela along with their families and the late Margaret Hill Other Bull family Rebecca and Raynard.

She always kept Ben Cloud’s family close throughout the years, the late Melda Cloud Goes Ahead children, Wyma, Natalie, Vincent Jr, Beulah, Mary Agnes and Marlan “Spooky,” with all their families. She considered Marlan as a son and always looked forward this his iishbuua (tripe) day at his home yearly. They often visited at Walmart, she would say “I seen Spooky!” Decrane Familly Dorothy Spotted Bear, Connie Broken Rope, Anna Decrane. Stops family, Billy and Dorothy.

Though years she had very many close friends she always said those were part of her family. Some have passed on such as the Moccasin sisters, Nellie and Veda, she would call them the Fairies, the late Theresa Walks Little Light. Other close friends included Velma Walks, Bonnie Hawk, Walter Old Elk

She adopted many people to be a part of her family and survived her, Jaylin (Kodie) Louie, Cyrus (Annie) Lieder, Theo Dawes, Angie (Jason) Louie, George (Wowie) Little Wolf, Shawn (Dyanna) Backbone, Frankie Caplett, Jason (Seretha) Kills Pretty Enemy, Hubert (Billie) Two Leggins, Marjean Dawes, Tom Torma,  Sam (Christine) Griffel, Rusty Blaine, Shobe and Orland Little Light, Bemus and Lawrence Big Hair, Joe Wallace, Dennis Bulltail, Bill McDavid, Franklin Takes Horse, Vanessa Little Light, Ryan Bad Bear, Lance Dreamer, “Gabble” Whiteman, Barbara Susan and Doris Stewart, Makalia and Joe (Angie) Gutierrez, Mark and John (Heather) Perez, Clemencia Stops, Chance Miller, Darrell Couture, along with all their family members. Elsie Half, Johnann (Lynn) Hogan, Preston (Maria) Onion, Stpehen (Leanne), Lance House. Norma (Dominic) Yellow Mule

Nieces and Nephews of her siblings Thomas (Jody) JR, Paul (Sarah) Medicine Horse, Elizabeth MH BirdinGround, Don Jr., Jeff and Donnette Medicine Horse, Tyler Jr, and Talon Medicine Horse, Dalrae Elkshoulder,

Grandkids include; Marlin T Cloud (Tanayah, Marlasia, Marlynn and Malachi), Calley Cloud (Josiah (Serena) Harjo and Elijah “Jayhawk” Irving, Krissy Cloud (Edwin) Quinones (Olivia), Lukas, Gabriel, Lillian, Aramis and Benny Boy Cloud, Tahnee, Tristen, Roxy Jo Cloud, Alvin “Bear” (Sunetta), Mitchell and Robin Stewart, Jay and Hiram Armajo, Cordero (Racheal) Cloud (Leon,Cyrus, and Serena), Isiah (Rose) Little Nest, Marlin and Izzy Medicine Horse, Misty (Micheal) Louie, Alisha (Jan) Louie, Marlee, Dustin and Josiah Gutierrez, Katerina and Alexis Morrison, Chelsey Pretty Paint (Braxton), Lindsey (Terry), Jarvis and Deveney, Zacheriah “Lunch Box” and Joey Door. Crystalyn (DJ) Tillman Coulston, (Jaydin “Amigo”, Cedric, Melissa and Ezekal), Michealyn (Justin) Bear, (Robert, Jalen, Joleigha, Kevin, and Makaveli), Bob (Suzanna) Tillman, (Andrew, Joaquin, Glorianna and Huntlee Robert Jr), Ron (Emma) Rides Horse and kids, Chris Teller (Micheal), John Dust, Mike Medicine Horse, Robert Dust, Nicole Half, Elsworth, Marla, George, Willie, Regina Goes Ahead and Kathy Haun. Pera House, and Leviah Yellowmule.

Deana’s family is very large and we apologize for failing to mention your name. Family’s include Hill, High Hawk, Good Horses, Coming Out, Gives Away White Buffalo, Old, On Top Of The Sweat House, Washakie, Little Warrior, Crow Good Voice, Yellow Cloud, Half, Onion, Cloud, Black Eagle, Not Afraid, Two Leggins, Big Hair, Walks, Buffalo, Bends, Louie, Tillman, Gutierrez, Caplett, Morrison, Goes Ahead, Decrane, Stewart, and House.

We want thank at this time all the medical health individuals who helped: The staff of IHS, Drs Lautenslauger, Gnassi, Zemore, RNs Osborne, Buckingham, Delaune, Fitzgerald, Trexler, Bahliznakis and Purcell. Heartfelt thanks to all the staff of Big Horn County Ambulance.

Wake Crow Agency Multi Purpose Building Friday, March 31, 2023.

Funeral Saturday April 1, 2023 at 10 AM at Crow Agency Multi Purpose Building.  Burial at Crow Agency Cemetery following Funeral.  Feed and give away at Multi after Burial.

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