Funeral Service for Fay BlueCloud Mahpiya To Dano, 77, of Fargo, ND formerly of Sisseton, SD will be held on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at 2:00 PM at Ascension Presbyterian Church, Big Coulee, SD with Jr. Heminger CLP officiating and Mary Beth Kirk pianist. Pallbearers will be Reuben Dano, Fred Hernandez, John Redday, Micah Kohl, Avery Finley, Tanner Sager, and Jeremy RedEagle. Honorary Pallbearers will be Darren Dennison, Avina Hayes, Nancy Ortiz, Billie, Hamdi, Alta Heminger, Susan Nichimoto, Suzy Sloan, Mauri, Autumn Sager, Patti Williams, and Josh Wayt. Inurnment will be held at a later date. All night Wake Services will be held on Wednesday October 9, 2019 at 7:00 P.M. at the SWO Community Center, Agency Village, SD.

Fay was born in 1942 in Big Coulee, South Dakota. During her rich and varied life, she travelled far and wide, living for a time as far away as Alaska, and for many years in Northern California until her eventual return to the Midwest, where she went to her final rest, in peace, under the loving care of her family.

Throughout her life, in the many places she went and among the many people whose life she touched, she maintained an abiding reverence for the culture and language of her Dakota people. She was a living source of these for her family and for those others who knew her best. During her final year, she happily volunteered many hours of recorded interviews to academics working on language preservation. Fay's life had many joys, much love and laughter. She was grateful, as she testified in her daily prayer. Although Fay endured many hardships along her way, she bore all of these with grace, through her faith in God, and her belief in salvation through Jesus Christ and the love of her devoted family. Fay was always outspoken for how she felt and was unapologetic of her expression of it. She had the creative soul of an artist and a generous loving spirit, materially and spiritually. Fay Bluecloud Dano died peacefully at home on October 4, 2019 in Fargo, North Dakota at the age of 77.

Fay is survived by her daughter, Cynthia "Nuna" Bell, her son, Darren Dennison, her daughter Tanya Hernandez, her son, Reuben Dano, her granchildren; Ina Marie Murphy, Thomas Jandoman, Melissa & Sarah Atchison , great grandchildren; Rhiannon & Isabella Atchison, Aiden Williams, Chase Eichelberger and Terrance Jandoman and sisters Avina Hayes and Nancy Ortiz and many loved nieces, nephews and grandchildren.   She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Gabriel Dano and son, James Silverwolf Dennison.