Roberta Cleo Yellow

“Walks Toward Dawn Woman”

Sunrise: June 9, 1942

Sunset: June 2, 2023

Roberta started her journey to the spirit world at her home in Fort Yates, ND on June 2, 2023. She was surrounded by her loved ones.

Roberta Cleo (Bird Horse) Yellow was born to Robert and Alice (Flexible) Bird Horse on June 9, 1942, at Luke and Lucy Good Fur’s residence, along the Grand River, in a log house.

Roberta grew up in a log house, along the Grand River on her dad’s land until 1950 when they were forced to relocate over the hill by Oak Creek. When the Oahe Dam was built, they lost their home due to the flooding. They lived in a tent until her dad built a log house and a tie house. Our mom loved to ride horses when she was growing up. She shared her stories about her life, growing up on the ranch. Roberta and her sister Belva would round up the cattle and horses, fix fence, cut and haul hay and water, and haul wood for cooking and heating. In the winter, her parents moved the family to Wakpala.

Roberta attended and graduated from Wakpala School in 1960. She attended college at the Aberdeen School of Commerce in Aberdeen, SD with her sister, Belva. Roberta came home and started working at the BIA and then the CHR program. She lived in Wakpala, Fort Yates, Porcupine, and McLaughlin throughout her life. She also lived in Rapid City, Bismarck, St. Michael, Warwick, and Fort Totten. She spent time working for IHS at Fort Yates Hospital and in McLaughlin. Roberta worked at ND Indian Affairs at the ND State Capital, and later as a certified coder at the Spirit Lake Health Center. Roberta attended training by the American Academy of Professional Coders where she became one of two certified coders during her time at the Spirit Lake Health Center. Roberta attended Little Hoop Community College. During her time as a student, she was selected to attend AIHEC, where she competed against her peers from other Tribal colleges and placed 2nd in her event. Roberta retired from IHS, after completing twenty years of government service through the BIA and IHS. After her retirement, she moved to Bismarck to be closer to home. She continued to be in the workforce and worked at Charles Hall Youth Services and United Tribes Technical College as a Resident Assistant and at Arrow Graphics.

Roberta later moved home to Standing Rock. In her free time, she enjoyed helping others prepare their taxes. Roberta loved to read and collected books for some time. She also loved to sing Lakota hymns, which she grew up doing as an active member of the St Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church.

Roberta is the mother of seven children, her eldest being Phillip Bird Horse, Sr. In her early twenties, she married Phillip White Dress. From this union, she had Reno and Leslie White Dress. She then had her first daughter, Kerri Bird Horse. In the 1970s, Roberta married Ron Yellow, Sr. She had Alice, Ron Jr, and Robbi from this union. Roberta always talked about how blessed and rich she was, by having 30 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren. She loved all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren very much and was proud of all their accomplishments.

Roberta enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling to powwows in her younger years, laughing and teasing. She loved going to rummage sales and thrift stores. Roberta was very modest and practiced humility. She taught her children to work hard, earn their keep, and to be independent. She had a very strong work ethic. Roberta worked all her life to provide for her children and grandchildren. She also cared for her father, Robert Bird Horse in his late years, until he passed on in 1990.

Roberta is survived by her seven children: Phillip (Tami) Bird Horse, Reno White Dress, Sr, Leslie (Anna) White Dress, Kerri (Luther Hinton) Bird Horse, Alice Bird Horse, Ron Yellow, Jr, and Robbi (Brandon Mauai) Yellow, adopted daughters, Lisa Fleury & Roanna Demarce, her 30 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Roberta was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Alice (Flexible) Bird Horse, her brothers: Reginald Bird Horse Sr., Dallas Bird Horse, Carl Bird Horse, Kermit Bird Horse, and sisters: Delphine Bird Horse, and Belva (Bird Horse) Greyhorn, her grandson Reno White Dress, Jr, her paternal grandparents, Moses and Eliza Bird Horse and maternal grandparents, Stephen and Sophia Flexible.

Casket bearers: Phillip Bird Horse, Jr, Robert Bird Horse II, Gerard Pay Pay, Gared Pay Pay, Warren White Dress, Luke Hinton, Latrell Black, Lane Hinton, Lars Hinton, Dawson Black, Preston Cottonwood, Marle Baker, Ian Baker, Anthony Eagle, Trae Thunder Hawk-Yellow, Evan Grassrope, and Ashton Cotanny.

Honorary Pallbearers: Yvonne “Yogi” Garreaux, niece Rosie Bird Horse, Roselyn Sandland, Carol Black, Marie Claymore, Connie Baker, Jeannie Brininger, Helena Littleghost, Marva Tollefson, Jan Archambault, Alvina “Beansie” and Pete Red Tomahawk, Alyce One Feather, Myra Pearson, Marilyn and Jersey Keepseagle, Eunice Keepseagle, Don Yellow Sr., Amy Yellow, Onna Littleghost, Flo and Spune Dunn, Brooke Black and Justin Yankton, Arlene Krulish, Duanna Phillips Pudwill, Shalonda Many Horses, Christine Rosheim, Rene Allergy, Andi Gladson, Kim Hawk Eagle, Chenoa Gipp, Dawn Lalicic, the nursing staff at Sanford 4NE and IHS, and others that we apologize if we have omitted during this time.