Autumn Leigh Johnson, 34, of Sisseton, SD passed away on May 5, 2023 at her home.  Funeral Service will be Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 1:00 P.M. at the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Community Center, Agency Village, SD.  There will be a Wake Service on Monday, May 8, 2023 at 7:00 P.M. and an all night Wake Service on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 starting at 7:00 P.M. at the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Community Center.

Autumn Leigh Johnson "Ta S ̇ ina S ̇ a Wi ƞ " was born October 3, 1988 to Louie and Sherry Johnson in Sisseton, SD. As a little girl, Autumn enjoyed spending time with her family and was always daddy's little girl. Even as an adult, she was Daddy's girl. She spent many years offering the Canunpa at the Buffalo Lake Sundance. When she was little every time the fire was lit she was the first in the inipi. Autumn was a shy quiet little girl who grew to become such a strong, beautiful, and independent woman.

She attended elementary school at the Enemy Swim Day School until graduating from 8 ^th grade, she then attended and graduated high school from Tiospa Zina Tribal School in 2007 . After high school, Autumn became a licensed Cosmetologist in both North and South Dakota. She had a special bond with Auntie Angi Johnson who she lived with during her schooling in Grand Forks. She had a natural talent that far exceeded others when it came to coloring, cutting and styling hair. It was always fun to see her new looks and changes in hair.

Autumn worked in salons after her graduation from cosmetology school and later at the SWO Head Start for a time, where she then later managed the Sisseton-Wahpeton Federal Credit Union. She had just started her next adventure in being a Grant Manager for the Sisseton Wahpeton Housing Authority at the time of her passing. She loved being independent and was proud of owning her own home, car and much more.

Autumn was a cancer warrior after she was diagnosed in July 2019. Autumn's prognosis was severe and she was not expected to live. Sanford at Fargo, one of only five hospitals in the Nation that perform a specialized surgery, saved her life along with so many prayers from family and friends. She spent many, many weeks in intensive care and even after she was released she had to return for many follow-up surgical procedures and still needed one more. Her Aunt Annie Felix took extra special care of Autumn during her stay in the hospital and after. Despite her medical journey, she continued to work hard.

Autumn was always full of life. She loved to joke and hangout with her friends and family. You could always find her joking and making light of any situation. Autumn was unapologetically herself. She would always say what was on her mind whether it was appropriate or not. Tell it like it is.

She loved spending time with her nephews and nieces and was affectionately known as "Nannie" to them. They loved to spend lots of time with her and often went to spend the night, or two, or even sometime weeks with their Nannie. Laila even went to Nannie's to get snowed in with her. She just bought a bedroom set for Laila, but Laila would always find her way to Nannie's bed. Autumn would go shopping and come back with outfits for all the little ones. They were all so special to her.

Autumn left for the spirit world and to her relatives on May 5, 2023 at her home in Sisseton, SD. She and her Grandpa Peewee are probably cussing around together now. Autumn is deeply missed. She was so very loved by her family. It is so hard…

Autumn is survived by her parents Sherry and Louie Johnson, sisters Alexis "Getters" Johnson and Miranda (Justin) White, Ashley Johnson, brothers Nick (Erica) Johnson, Luke Johnson, and Chris Johnson, hunka brothers Cole Bernard and Scott Johnson, grandparents Lois and Bruce Formes, Grandma Barbara King, her nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, many cousins, her bestie Tracey Sing, and her beloved fur babies Mindy and Buddy and her cats Moses and Branden.

Autumn was preceded in death by her Grandpa "PeeWee" Eastman and Granny Olivia Eastman, Grandma and Grandpa Chris and Shirley Johnson, Great-Grandmother Dagmar Keehn, Grandma Alberta Crawford, Uncle Alan and Auntie Bonnie Johnson, Uncle Felix, Uncle Maurice "John" Johnson, Uncle Floyd DeCoteau, Auntie Toni Sheldon, Aunt Evon Eastman, Uncle Wayne Eastman, niece Scottlyn Canku and her hamster Pauleena and fur babies Kamar and Casper.