Funeral Service for Beatrice Pauline Wanna, "Auntie Bea", 82 of Sisseton, SD will be held on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Peter's Catholic Church with the Rev. Fr. Tony Dummer and Rev. Vern Donnell officiating. Organist will be Mary Beth Kirk. Drum Group will be Red Storm singers. Pallbearers will be Damien White, Dustin Brant, Tracy Brant, Stacy Brant Jr., Tyson Brant, Jared Hisgun, Gabriel DuMarce, Spencer Wanna Jr., Doug Renville, Robert Shepherd, Emery White Jr., Ronnie Brant, Spencer Julius, Lester Crawford, Milton Renville, Brandon Adams, Benji Thompson, Dennis Hisgun Sr., James Robertson, and Justin White. Honorary Pallbearers will be Tina White, June Renville, Bernice Johnson, Celine Buckanga, Julie Williams, Ione Eagle, Irene Renville, Janice LaBatte, Debbie Chanku, Marion LaCroix, Colette White, Gloria Culbertson, Beverly Thompson, Celestine Ducheneaux, Wanda Thompson, Gilbert Robertson, Ronnie Wanna, Norwood St. John, Jason Adams, Ron DuMarce, Stacy Wanna, the Tiospa Zina Kitchen Staff & Students, and Tribal Elderly Affairs. Interment will be in St. Matthew's Catholic Cemetery, Veblen, South Dakota. There will be All-night Wake Services on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 and Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 7:00 P.M. at St. Catherine's Hall, Sisseton, SD. Beatrice Pauline Wanna, "Auntie Bea" was born on September 27, 1928 in Veblen, SD, the daughter of James and Nora (Greeley) Wanna. She attended school at Tekakwitha Children's Home, Flandreau Indian School and Haskell Institute. She started work at Pipestone, MN and Minneapolis, MN, at the BIA in Sisseton and Pine Ridge, BIA, and then worked in Waukegan, IL. She also worked at the Tekakwitha Nursing Home and the Tekakwitha Children's Home. She was employed by Tiospa Zina Tribal School for many years; she retired due to health issues. She served on the Tribal Council, representing Heipa District and was still very active in Tribal politics. She had no children of her own, but her house was always open for any-one who needed a place to stay. She raised several nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. She was Auntie Bea to everybody. Auntie Bea passed way on April 26, 2011 at the Tekakwitha Living Center, Sisseton, SD.
Beatrice is survived by her sisters, Alma Renville, Melvina LaBatte, Dorothy Fremont and Mary Ann Dailey.
Beatrice was preceded in death by her parents, James and Nora Wanna, her brothers, Lawrence, Spencer Wanna Sr., Anthony and Benedict Wanna and her sister Mamie.
For Beatrice's obituary and on-line registry please visit www.cahillfuneralchapel.com