Funeral Mass for Irene Rose Nelson, 83, of Sisseton, SD will be held on Friday, August 24, 2018 at 10:30 AM at St. Kateri Catholic Church, Sisseton, SD with The Rev. Fr. Jerry Ranek, Levi Keoke, Frank Barse and Darrel Mirreau officiating. Organist will be Kay Burshiem with Special Music by Maynard Beaudreau and Drum Group will be Red Storm Singers.  Pallbearers will be her grandson's Conrad Brown, Anthony Keoke, Allery Nelson,  Andre Nelson, Primitivo Banuelos, Joe Kohl, Stacy Brant and Chauncey Hill.  Honorary pallbearers will be Celine Buckanaga, Teresa Peters, Darlyn Kitto, Evelyn Pilcher, Yvonne Williams, Bernadine Gaikowski, Caroline Campbell, Angeline Eagle, Lily Runnels, Zelma Flute, Phedora Wilson, Vastana James, Katie Kitto, the Thompson sisters, Cheryl Spider, Arlene Spider, Denise Nelson, Madonna St. John, Sherry Morgan, Hattie Thigh and Emmaline Moran and all friends and relatives.  Interment will be in the St. Matthew Catholic Cemetery at Veblen, SD. There will be wake services on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 and Thursday, August 23, 2018 starting at 7:00 PM at St. Kateri Hall in Sisseton, SD. The Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD is in charge of arrangements.

Irene Nelson quietly departed this life Sunday, August 19, 2018 at her home in Agency Village, SD after short a battle with pancreatic cancer.  Irene came into this world May 14, 1935 to Anotine "Tony" Swiftbird and Mercy Little Eagle at the Old Cheyenne River Agency.  She was the oldest of 8 kids.  Her early years were spent along the mouth of the Moreau River.  She often talked about camping along the Missouri River at Ft. Pierre, S.D. with her maternal grandparents, Edward Little Eagle and Lulu Two Arrows from the Crow Creek Reservation.  After her mother and father parted ways, she had the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings.  Her early education began at the Holy Rosary mission in Pine Ridge, then continued at Cheyenne River Agency and graduating at Immaculate Conception Boarding School, Stephan, SD. It was at Stephan that she met the love of her life Peter "Buddy" Nelson.  They were married in Valentine, Nebraska and to this union five daughters were born, and with one womb death.  They had disagreements and divorced.  She then returned to Eagle Butte, SD, where she met Freeman Hawk Sr. while he worked construction at Lantry, SD.  They married in Pierre, SD.  To this union were born 3 daughters and 1 son.  They then joined the government relocation program, and lived in various cities where she completed with a Certificiate in nursing training in Madera, CA.  They moved to Dallas, TX where she gained employment at the Woodland and Parkland hospital in Dallas, TX.  She also worked part-time for Ladonna Harris.  She was involved with various Indian organizations at the cities they lived in.  Her marriage to Freeman dissolved there and she returned to Hammon, OK, with her children to live with her mother-in-law.  In Hammon she was very well respected in the small Cheyenne community as was evident with her being adopted by several families and most notably the Whiteskunk sisters Jennie Bison, Nellie Johnson and Alberta Zotigh.  She then returned to SD and was reunited with Peter "Buddy" Nelson.  Irene worked for the Browns Valley School as a Title IV Aide and for the St. Catherine's Parrish traveling to different communities on the reservation as a Catechist teacher.  After her brief employment she was content on being a homemaker and raising her family.  Irene loved to play bingo, dancing at pow-wows with her husband and being involved in activities with the St. Catherin's parish.  She also helped raise 4 grandchildren Valerie, Michael, Raymond, and Keith.  She also raised her great granddaughter Cassie Lawrence from infancy.  She lived a long life and was happy to go over the hill.  She knew more people there than she did here, because in heaven there are no goodbyes.

She is survived by children; Sharon Marie Nelson of Sisseton, SD, Bonita Ann Nelson of Dallas, TX, Rosy Mary Nelson of Sisseton, Connie Faye Nelson of Sisseton, Ann Marie Hawk of Oklahoma City, OK, Freeman Hawk Jr. of Sisseton, Teresa Darlene Hawk of Ft. Thompson, SD; Two adopted daughter's Sandra Fern White of Sisseton, and Alvira Enoch of Sisseton; two brothers Larry Turgeon of Pittsburgh, KS and Darryl Turgen of Mesa, AZ; one sister Barb Bordeaux of Ft. Worth, TX. She is also survived by 31 grandchildren, 71 great grandchildren, 8 great great grandchildren.

Her descendents are from many tribes, and nationalities.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, two daughter's Rita Dolores and Catherine Frances, one grandson Jesse White Hawk, one granddaughter Rachel Nelson Contreras, and her special sister/cousin Alta Swiftbird.