FUNERAL SERVICE FOR PHILIP PATRICK ST. JOHN, GAKA HEYA YE HOKSHINA, HE WHO WALKS SLOWLY-CAREFULLY, 80, OF MANDAN, NORTH DAKOTA WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2023 AT 12:00 P.M. AT THE VEBLEN DISTRICT CENTER, VEBLEN, SD. OFFICIATING/ CEREMONIAL SPEAKERS WILL BE PASTOR VERN DONNELL, SONNY LABLANC, WILLARD YELLOWBIRD AND JACOB LABLANC. DRUM GROUP WILL BE EYABAY, REDNATION, FORT YATES, BLACK BEAR (MPLS,MN), MOTOWN, RED LAKE, BATTLE RIVER, ROCK BOTTOM, HOKAHEY, THE BOYZ, MESKWAKI NATION, MIDNITE EXPRESS, BLACK BEAR CROSSING, WHITE TAIL, MANDAREE, MYSTIC RIVER, BADNATION, SHOWTIME, DAKOTA NATION, AND ALL SINGERS THAT ARE SINGING IN THE STARS. PALLBEARERS WILL BE TYLER TORDSEN (TAMMY), QUINTON TORDSEN (TAMMY), CHRIS BROWN EAGLE (SHELLY), JUSTIN ST. JOHN (TERRY), DARREN "BABY G" ST. JOHN (TERRY), DANEN ST. JOHN (TERRY), GENE NYTE ST. JOHN- YELLOWBIRD (PHILLIP "GEE"), "BABY" TERRY ST. JOHN (TERRY), KYLE ST. JOHN (KENNY/ KAYKAY), KYLE ST. JOHN-JEFFERS (ROGER), ANTHONY PHILBRICK ST. JOHN (GRANDSON), HONORARY PALLBEARERS WILL BE be BRIAN & MICHELLE THUNDERHAWK FAMILY, CATERA "CATTI" & TECORI ST. JOHN, ERNIE & CISSY THUNDERHAWK, MARIA & CLAYTON HAGEL FAMILY, JEANETTE & JAMES CONDON, JEREMY CLAYMORE, WESTON HAGEL, SHORTY HOWARD FAMILY, MELISSA & KOLT TIGER, ESTELLE & BRAXTON MERRILL,  QUINCY GARVIN FAMILY, IRENE MACARTHUR FAMILY, WILY STRONG FAMILY, TINY BELLANGER FAMILY, MURPHY SITTING CROW FAMILY, ANGIE & SARAH ST. JOHN, SHELDON, SHEELA ST. JOHN,  SEQUOYAH, ELIZABETH, STAR, GINIW ST. JOHN, LEE DEFOE, MIKE LA BLANC, MARCUS ST. JOHN, EDWA & KRISTINA ST. JOHN, CARLOS, JUAN,  JULIO ASAREZ- ST. JOHN, GERONIMO ARECHIGA, ANDREW ST. JOHN-JEFFERS, SHEENA, ROSIE ST. JOHN,  EDITH, ESTHER, CHASKE ST. JOHN, RAHIMA ST. JOHN, RUSTY GILLETTE FAMILY, RANDY BARSE, FRANSICO DE LAPAZ FAMILY, TOM, SONNY, CHASKE, MATT LABLANC, NATASHA, BRANDON ROBERTSON, STEVE, WETU, VAL CHARGING EAGLE, GERALDINE & HAROLD CONDON, RON GOODEAGLE JR, NONA GOODEAGLE, NAHMI & TYLER LASLEY, NOVI & CHEYANNE RUNSABOVE, RYLON & SKUSH BRADY PONCHO & TOOKY BRADY, ROSS WISE SPIRIT, MILES MACALLISTER, CODY & SONYA SEABOY, LONDELL SEABOY, ERIC SHEPHERD, RALPH CHASE, JESSE CHASE FAMILY, STEVE YELLOW EARRINGS, LEONARD BAKER, VINCE BYLE, BOYSIE YELLOWBIRD, ELROY YELLOWBIRD, IVAN LONECHILD SR., KEVIN MENTZ, TODD SMITH, WES "LUNCHBOX" JOURDAIN, LEE LUSSIER SR., JASON KINGBIRD, JOHN MORRIS SR. & BRIDGETTE MORRIS, JOHN MORRIS JR. & MOTOWN BOYS, GARNET HENRY, ABE & CETAN BENSON, KEYA PIPEBOY, NATION WRIGHT, JAMES & DARYL SPOTTED THUNDER, HOKIE CLAIRMONT, GERRALD & DARYL ZEPHIER, ANDRE SAUNSONSI, LANCE SAUNSONSI, KEVIN KINGBIRD, KEVEON KINGBIRD, KEVEN KINGBIRD, MACK KINGBIRD, BUZZ BEAR, HALLO & OPIE DAY FAMILY, CHRIS WHIPPLE FAMILY, KEITH SMITH FAMILY, DJ & CODY TWOBEARS, RUSSELL YOUNG BIRD FAMILY, KELLIE & SONNY LEBEAU, ROOSTER TOP SKY FAMILY, ILIANA MONTOYA, WADE & KIM BAKER, MISTER & ALANNA BAKER, RYLAN BAKER, NELSON BAKER, SEYMOR BAKER, LEONARD BAKER, EDMUND TATE, JADE PHILBRICK FAMILY, ANTHONY & BONNIE MONOESSY, GABE & DIANNE DEROSIERS FAMILY, WILLIAM & CHARLES HINDSLEY FAMILY, BUTCH FELIX, TERRY & MARCY FIDDLER FAMILY, GUNYA & LAURA CORNELIUS, GINA MOTAH, ELIZABETH BROWN, TRAVIS ALBERS FAMILY, SARA JUMPING EAGLE, NONA GRAYWATER, AUDREY PRATT, LAURA PRATT, MARY ANN, RODNEY, BRENDEN, COLE PATRICK, TAWNY HALE FAMILY, KRISTEN JESTER, ARLENE KRUSLISH, THERESA & ROBERT HIS CHASE, EUNICE GREYBEAR, SUE ROMERO, JON & ARIANNA & MIA BERRYHILL, MARY ANN & COLE PATRICK, JAKE & NATE THOMPSON, DAVE FLUTE, TOMMY & TYSON FLUTE, CLAY, SHORTY, MARQUEL CRAWFORD, AUDIE SWIFTBIRD FAMILY, BRIDGETTE & MARITA WANNA, ZACK RED BEAR FAMILY, DARREL BEARSTAIL FAMILY, STEVE & JOEL WOOD FAMILY, WESLEY WINDYBOY SR. FAMILY, BJ RAINBOW FAMILY, MICHAELS ROBERTS FAMILY, SEAN SPICER FAMILY, DANA WORRINGTON FAMILY, JON TAKEN ALIVE, SPENCER & LILLIAN WANNA, ANGEL WANNA, KRISTIN WANNA, ANGELINE WANNA, AND ALL HIS FRIENDS AND RELATIVES ACROSS THE POWWOW  LAND NOT MENTIONED HERE…HE LOVES YOU! THERE WILL BE AN ALL-NIGHT WAKE SERVICE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2023 STARTING AT 7:00 P.M. AT THE VEBLEN DISTRICT CENTER. INTERMENT WILL BE IN THE ST. MATTHEW CATHOLIC CEMETERY, VEBLEN, SD. CAHILL FUNERAL CHAPEL, SISSETON, SD IS IN CHARGE OF FUNEAL ARRANGEMENTS.

PHIL WAS PROUD TO BE DAKOTA AND GREW UP IN SOUTH DAKOTA IN A FAMILY OF 16. HE ATTENDED BOTH CATHOLOIC AND GOVERNMENT BOARDING SCHOOL INCLUDING STEPHAN, SD. HE MOVED TO OAKLAND, CA TO ATTEND VOCATIONAL SCHOOL AT THE AGE OF 19. HE ATTAINED HIS AA DEGREE AND LATER HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK AT MINNESOTA METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY. HE WORKED WITH MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 5 YEARS AND THEN WITH MPLS YOUTH DIVERSION PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY CENTER. HE WORKED FOR CHARLES HALL YOUTH SERVICES UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN BISMARK, ND.

POWWOW, DANCING, AND SINGING WAS A HUGE PART OF HIS LIFE. HE WAS DEVOTED TO SHARING THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE POWWOW WORLD WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND ANYONE WHO  WANTED TO KNOW…AND EVEN THOSE WHO DIDN'T! IN HIS EARLY YEARS, HE SANG WITH REDNATION DRUM GROUP AND INSTILLED SONGWRITING AND SINGING INTO THE NEXT GENERATIONS. HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS MENTORSHIP AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF YOUNG SINGERS AND DANCERS. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WITH HIS CHILDREN AND HE PLAYED A SPECIAL ROLE IN THE CREATION OF EYABAY BY ENSURING THE DAKOTA LANGUAGE WAS INCLUDED IN THEIR SONGS. HE WAS A POWWOW LEGEND THAT CREATED LEGENDS.

PHILIP IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE KAY ST. JOHN, MANDAN, ND, HIS SIX CHILDREN TAMARA ST. JOHN, SISSETON, SD, DANIELLE (JAY) ADAMS, SISSETON, SD, THAD ST. JOHN, WATERTOWN, SD, SHELLY ST. JOHN, BISMARK, ND, GEE YELLOWBIRD-ST. JOHN, BISMARK, ND, AND BRANDON TONCH ST. JOHN, MANDAN, ND; BROTHERS RODNEY (ROCK)(ROSE) ST. JOHN, SISSETON, SD, THEODORE ST. JOHN, SISSETON, SD, ROGER ST. JOHN, ST. PAUL, MN, KENNETH (KAY-KAY) ST. JOHN, MINNEAPOLIS, MN; AND JACK JEFFERS, NEW YORK; SPECIAL GRANDDAUGHTERS, CATERA ST. JOHN AND TECORI ST. JOHN AND 58 GRANDCHILDREN.

PHILIP WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS EDWARD AND CELESTE (LABLANC) ST. JOHN SR.; BROTHERS TIMOTHY ST. JOHN, ROBERT ST. JOHN, EDWARD ST. JOHN, SANFORD JEFFERS, JEFF JEFFERS, MARLEN SMITH; SISTERS LOUISE ST. JOHN, YVONNE ST. JOHN, PATRICIA ST. JOHN, JENNIFER ST. JOHN,  SONS DANEN ST. JOHN AND TERRY ST. JOHN, GREAT-GRANDSON BRYCE MACCONNELL AND KAYSON TIGER, AND GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER GIANNA YELLOWBIRD.