COLETTE MARIE GREYBEAR

COLETTE M. GREYBEAR, “Mahpiya Omani Win” (She Walks Among the Clouds) 49 YEARS of Fort Totten, ND passed away on Thanksgiving Day morning, November 22, 2012 at her home in the loving care of her family. The Wake for Colette will be held on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at the Fort Totten Recreation Center, Fort Totten, ND beginning at 5:00 p.m. The procession to Fort Totten will leave on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. from Wal-Mart. Funeral Services for Colette will be held on Wednesday, November 28th at 10:00 a.m. also at the Fort Totten Recreation Center. She will be laid to rest at St. Jerome’s Cemetery, rural Fort Totten. Colette Marie, daughter of Melvin D. GreyBear Sr. and Lorraine (Thomas) GreyBear was born on October 13, 1963 in Devils Lake, ND. At age 8, Colette was given her Dakotah name by her grandmother, Rosalie. Her Dakotah name had once been her aunt, Laura Thomas’ name, but Laura died at age 13 so her name was passed on to Colette. Colette grew up in the Fort Totten area and attended the Fort Totten Public School, graduating with the class of 1981. She later attended Aaker’s Business College in Grand Forks. Colette would live her whole life in the Fort Totten area on the Spirit Lake Nation. Colette married Francis Owlboy Jr. and they were the proud parents of two children, Renita and Lyndon. She worked for several years at Sioux Manufacturing Corporation and for eight years at the Spirit Lake Casino and Resort. Colette was united in marriage to Everette Comer on November 16, 1987 and they just celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary. They were parents to five children who were also their pride and joy, Delorean, Hunter, Abraham, Awashtay and Tyler. Colette was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was a hard worker, working 3 jobs at once for a time. She worked for five years at Paul’s Grocery and also at the Day Care Center at Fort Totten and as needed as the “Wahanpi Anpetu” (Soup Day) cook for the Cankdeska Cikana Community College. She took a leave of absence from work as her health problems worsened, but she was always so hopeful she would be able to return to work and to be an active part of the community she loved. Colette enjoyed going to the Casino and shopping, especially for shoes. She loved all her grandchildren and on January 16, 2009, she actually delivered a grandchild. She was proud of her heritage and made sure all of her children had Dakotah names. Colette battled her cancer for over 3 years. She made sure that each day her family knew how much she loved them and how very special each one of them were to her. Colette is survived by her husband, Everette Comer of Fort Totten; her mother, Lorraine GreyBear of CrowHill; daughters, Renita (Derek) GreyBear, St. Michael, ND and Awashtay Comer of Fort Totten; sons Lyndon GreyBear, Fargo, ND, Delorean (Erica) Comer, Hunter (Mercede) Comer, Abraham Comer and Tyler Comer all of Fort Totten; nine grandchildren, Lyndon Jr., Kissandra, Cyris, Wakinyanho (His Voice Is Thunder), Kissara, Malaina, Juliyah, Lariah Colette and Hunter Jr.; brothers and sister, Melvin D. GreyBear Jr., CrowHill, Bentley M. (Melissa) GreyBear Sr., Fort Totten, Loren M. GreyBear Sr. and Myron A. (Stephanie) GreyBear Sr. of CrowHill and Jewel L. GreyBear of Fort Totten; aunts, Christine Alex, Phyllis (Robert) Olson, Judy (Dean) Necklace and Ava Martin; many nieces and nephews. Colette was preceded in death by her father, Melvin D. GreyBear Sr.; grandson, Shane Melvin GreyBear-IronHawk; maternal grandparents, Michael and Rosalie (Littlewind) Thomas and paternal grandparents, Abraham GreyBear and Lottie (Old Rock) GreyBear-Brown. Serving as Casket Bearers for Colette will be: Bentley GreyBear Jr., Diedrick GreyBear, Clifton GreyBear, Delmer YoungBird Jr., Myron GreyBear Jr. and Gaylen GreyBear. Honorary Bearers will be Perry Haugen, Paula Yankton, Janelle Fassett, Isabel LeftBear, Melissa GreyBear, Luvona Cavanaugh, Jeannie RedDog, Angie Richotte and Paulette Driver. The Spirit Lake Singers will sing songs to honor the memory of Colette and any other Drum Groups are welcome to share their songs.