January 24, 1964 - December 8, 2022

"I have fought the good fight.  I have finished the race.  I have kept the faith.

Lynette R. "Nona" Bobtail Bear "Wacinyapi Win"

Funeral Service for Lynette R. "Nona" Bobtail Bear "Wacinyapi Win", 58, of Agency Village, South Dakota will be held on Monday, December 12, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. at the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Community Center, Agency Village, SD with CRE Jr. Heminger, CRE Mike Horned Eagle, CRE JC Crawford, and LeRoy Bobtail Bear officiating. Pianist will be Billy Kohl.  Drum Group will be All Singers.   Pall Bearers will be ViJay Crawford, Aydan Kirk, James "Jim" Crawford, Hailen Crawford, Brevin Crawford, Billy Canku Jr., Thomas German, Billy Kohl, Matt Thompson, Jeremiah Looking Elk, Justin "Heavy J" White, Zade Crawford, and Arnold Williams. Honorary Pall Bearers will be Skiggy Littledog, Stacy Hunter, Joanne Lynd, Tami Kneebone, Julie Nelson, Her Filipino Family, Vonda Bighorn,  Ida Ashes Sully Brown, Dale Weston, Jim Bill Ross, Sandy Weston, All her Cepansi's/Sisters, Canyon Crawford, Chief Greybull, Donna James, and All her Nieces, Nephews, Grandchildren.  Interment will be in the Goodwill Presbyterian Cemetery, Agency Village, South Dakota. There will be All Night Wake Services held at the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Community Center on Saturday, December 10, 2022 and Sunday, December 11, 2022 starting at 7:00 P.M.  The Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD is in charge of arrangements.

Nona was born on January 24, 1964 in Sisseton, South Dakota. She was the first born daughter to Sam and Alberta Crawford Sr. She was Grandpa Norman and Grandma Rena's pride and joy. As a little girl, she was tall, skinny, and mom would say she would cry and her long legs would be kicking all over. She was just a baby when Dad and Mom were stationed at Fort Carson, CO, and later moved to Minneapolis. Mom and she stayed with Grandpa and Grandma while Dad was at school in Cleveland, Ohio. She would become a big sister to two younger sisters and two brothers. Her education would begin at Big Coulee Day Preschool and then Peever Elementary. The days when us kids had to walk about a mile to the bus stop during winter, she loved to tell the story where her and Hopa had to drag Jr. and Nettie through the snow banks to get to the bus. During her high school years, our parents who served as missionaries were stationed on the Fort Peck Reservation in Nebraska and Montana. There she attended Brockton, MT and Culbertson, MT schools and came back to live with Grandma Rena to graduate in Sisseton with the Class of 1982. She attended Cook Training Theological school in Tempe, AZ. It was her calling to serve God and her Oyate in her church. There she met the love of her life, her "Mahansani" Perry Bobtail Bear. They married in January of 1986.  On February 10, 1986 they had their first child, a daughter Christine Rena. She came to them "asleep". They later had a Son Theo Perry and a daughter Thea Vonda.

She worked at Tekakwitha Nursing Home as a CNA.  Later her family moved to Flandreau, SD, where she worked at Riverview Manor for over 20 years, starting as a CNA, and then becoming a certified Med Tech. As part of her work she witnessed and testified to many and brought comfort to many. She took care of her family by being their caretaker. She was the one our large family looked to for guidance and understanding. Nona was definitely one of God's toughest soldiers. She supported her husband through our traditional ways and ceremonies. She was given her Dakota Name "Wacinyapi Win" from Herman Hepa at the Eagles Sundance. She moved back home after the death of her husband in 2018. She became our Mom's nurse and caretaker till Mom's passing in 2020.  During that time, she became an Ordained Elder of her beloved church- Tawacin Waste, later becoming a CRE "Commissioned Ruling Elder". A responsibility she took very seriously. Nona led our church in song and would teach us the songs of our Dakota Odowans. Her stories and tribulations only made her who she was. Her greatest blessings were her Takojas TyAnne, Tyleeya, Tayden, Ziah, Aycia, Zade. Zaylee, Her king Zade. She witnessed his birth and he never left her side- as that was his "Nona". She loved to swim with the Takojas, do fun actives, and was always down to have a good time with them. They knew when Grandma Nona won at the casino. She had a special relationship with each one and they will miss her immensely. She was the sister to many- her job was to keep Nettie in line (inside joke).  Nona passed away at Coteau Des Prairie Hospital, Sisseton, South Dakota on December 8, 2022, after a brief illness.

She left those behind for a little while, her children,  son Theo Bobtail Bear and daughter Thea Bobtail Bear; Sisters Danette "Nettie" Kirk and Jodeen Crawford; brothers Morris Canku, Bill Canku Sr, Samuel V Crawford Jr., and Floyd "Leon" Crawford; two grandchildren TyAnne Bobtail Bear and Tyleeya Bobtail Bear; Hunka Terry and Talbert Looking Elk, Les, Arnie, Loren Bighorn; Vonda Bighorn, Sheryl Looking Elk, Sheila Looking Elk and Lisa Hatten; Godchildren Briana Greybull, Katlyn Canku and Jeremiah Looking Elk, Tayden, Ziah, Aycia, Zade and  Zaylee; Aunts Sara DeCoteau and Sweet DeCoteau, Uncle Buddy  DeCoteau and Hunka children – Arnold Williams, Tally & Tiffany Monteau, Hunka parents – Leonard Crowbelt, and Lavonne Looking Elk.

Nona is preceded in death by those that left before her to prepare for her: her "Mahan Si" Perry Bobtail Bear, daughter Christine Rena "unborn takoja"; parents Samuel V. Crawford Sr. and Alberta L. (DeCoteau) Crawford; sister Annette "Hopa" Crawford; nephew Morley E. Kirk, Maternal Grandparents Norman H. DeCoteau and Rena F. (Heminger) DeCoteau; Paternal Grandparents Edward J. Crawford Sr. and Jeanette (Kitto) Crawford; uncles, aunts and many relatives.