Francis "Punch" T. Roulette Sr.

Francis “Punch” Tony Roulette Sr., 62 of St. Michael ND passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at his home.

Funeral Services for Francis will be held at St. Michael’s Recreation Center on Saturday, March 4, 2023. A procession to St. Michael will leave at 8:30 a.m. from City Plaza, Devils Lake on Saturday with visitation to be held from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor Paul Young, Pastor at Dakota Baptist Church, Fort Totten officiating. The burial will be at Ephraim Hill Cemetery, rural Fort Totten, ND in the spring.

Francis Tony Roulette was born on April 24, 1960 at Brandon, Manitoba, Canada the son of Amos Williams Tacan and Esther RunEarth. He was raised by his adopted Mom Jessie (Grandma Jessie). He grew up in Canada and attended school there. He always said “I had the best life growing up. But my life really started when I met Janice.”

Punch met Janice Hill in July of 1979 at a Sioux Valley Bingo. That weekend Janice was ready to come back to the United States. Punch went to his house, told his family that he was not going to let this girl leave alone, so he packed his clothes and came back to the US with Janice. After living in the US 1 ½ years, Francis was united in marriage to Janice in July of 1981. Shortly after marriage they welcomed their 1^st child Jennie, then came Toni in May of 1984. After becoming a father, he moved his family to Fort Totten, making that his hometown. Punch began working for Sioux Manufacturing for well over 20 years. He took a break from there going just next door to Dakota Tribal Industries. He worked there until they closed their doors for good.

Punch always had something to do. He was never “bored.” His favorite things to do were always with family and friends. He went back home frequently to the “mother land” he would call it; meaning back to Sioux Valley for family visits.

He enjoyed listening to a variety of music; Pow-Wow music, Rock, RnB, some Pop music because he liked the way it bumps. He taught all his kids to drive so he could sit back on the passenger side and jam out to his music. He had something in common with each and every one of his kids. He found that to be very special. Whether it was the same taste in music or the love for the same thing. No matter what it was, he was super happy about it.

When his grandkids started being born, the love in his eyes for the grand babies was just unexplainable. You could tell by the look on his face when he held them. The smile he smiled when he was watching them. That giggle-that laugh, was just heart-warming. After watching all his kids grow up and seeing them start their own families, he was happy that the grandkids got to grow up with him. He always said “I raised all you kids, now I get to raise and watch the grands. And he did!

He called his grandson Possum to talk about cars and trucks and how they were going to start fixing them up and what they were going to do and where they were going to go. During the summer and winter of 2021-2022, Punch bought the grandkids a go-cart and snowmobile. When the parents would drive by the house on their way to work, they would see Punch outside playing with all his grand babies.

Family meant everything to Punch. His friends were all special to him too. He always went for drives and would pop in randomly sometimes. If Janice wanted to go someplace to shop or just for a day cruise, Punch was always the driver.

Punch is going to be missed by all who ever got to meet him and got to know him throughout his 40 plus years living here!

It’s never Goodbye-it’s C-Ya Later!

Punch leaves behind his wife Janice; adopted Mom Jesse Chaske; daughters Jennie Nicole, Toni Lynn, Deanna Gail, Brittany Faith; son Francis Tony JR; sons-in-law Josh, Clifford, Beau, Austin; daughter-in-law Ashley; grandchildren Anthony Littleghost, Taylor, Devyn, Peyton, Skylar, Aalayah, Malikai, Kyra, Dakota, Serena, Treycen, Ian, Addison, Auliana, Avery, Bella Rose, Timothy Sage and Alan; great grandson Angelo; two great granddaughters; sister Pauline Roulette; brothers Kirk, Matt and Vincent Surface; nieces Jennifer McKay, Donna, Korissa, Ashley, Kristen and Lacy Roulette; nephews Waylon Blacksmith, Jason McKay, Tim, Nathan and Sage Roulette and many other dear nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother Esther RunEarth, father Amos Tacan, sisters Virginia and Evelyn Roulette, brothers Dennis, Joseph, Garnet and Elroy Roulette and Robert Hapa, granddaughter Alyssa Crowe, nieces and nephews Charity, Fabian and Adrian Hapa, mother-in-law and father-in-law Mary and Ephraim Hill, brothers-in-law Francis Hill, Ephraim Hill Jr. and Edward Hill, nephew and niece Robert and Rainey Hill-Joshua.

If we forgot to mention anyone it wasn’t intentional. So many friends and family, too many to name and we apologize. The Roulette Family.

Casket Bearers will be Shawn Guy, Andy Demarce, Marlin Demarce, Calvin Thompson, Vance Thompson, Beau Valandra, Anthony Touche and Todd Belgarde.

Honorary Bearers are Sheila Belgarde, Melvin Langstaff, Kelly Touche, Phil and Arliss LaBlanc, David Sherman and family, Dan and Burle Dubois and family, Cindy Demarce, Curtis McKay and family, Terry Halsey and family, Jeff Kenner, Al Smith, Rick Rardon, Scott and Meada and so many other friends that were special to him.