Joyce M. Greene

Joyce M. Greene 

"Wahca Akan Nagin Win" (Stands On A Flower Woman) 

Joyce M. Greene of St. Michael, ND passed away on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at Essentia Health, Fargo ND. She was 75 years of age.

The Wake for Joyce will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at St. Michael’s Wellness Center beginning at 5:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. The procession to St. Michael will leave at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday from City Plaza, Devils Lake. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

Joyce Marie, oldest daughter of Hermenia (Owlboy) and Peter Belgarde Sr. was born on August 11, 1949, in Fort Totten, ND. Joyce attended kindergarten through 8th grade at St. Michael, 9th and 10th grade at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Devils Lake and graduated from Flandreau Indian School in Flandreau, South Dakota. She spent one summer session at the Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas.

Joyce married Carl McKay Sr. in 1969, and they were the proud parents of two beautiful girls, Ann, and Lori. They lived for a time in Grand Forks while Carl completed his education then returned to the St. Michael area where Joyce lived, worked, and raised her family through the years.

Joyce became involved with Little Hoop Community College at the time of its opening in October of 1974. She began as a counselor, registering students, taking attendance, and doing a variety of tasks. She gradually worked her way up to her current position as college dean and in April of 1977 was appointed temporary president of the college. Joyce served in this capacity until August of 1980.

Joyce never stopped pursuing advances in her education. She took courses at Lake Region Community College and UND and obtained her Associate of Arts Degree. She continued at Mayville State College, to achieve her lifetime goal of becoming a teacher.

Joyce worked so hard to make higher education available and affordable for her community. She testified in Washington D.C. on a bill that now helps to fund all Indian Colleges in the United States and helped them to be accredited colleges. Because of her determination to bring education to all reservations, Joyce was named the Outstanding Young Women in America in 1981. She never sat idle, she had great visions for the future and did everything she could to make those visions a reality.

After retiring from Little Hoop, Joyce worked for many years at Mission Bay Market until increasing health issues forced her to retire. She so loved visiting customers, old and new.

Joyce loved the outdoors. She was an avid gardener, enjoyed fishing, loved keeping her birds and squirrels fed and she always had a dog or two or three at her side as faithful, loyal companions. (Cloud, Trigger, Ruger, Fetch, Askem and Red) You frequently saw Joyce and her grandchildren out and about shopping for treasures with Grandma.

Joyce felt truly blessed to have the love and support of family as her health deteriorated. She loved and cherished each and every member of the family until the end.

Joyce’s loving family include her daughters Ann McKay and Lori McKay; grandchildren William Black Jr., Danae Black, Rabecca Black, Dalton (Rena) Black, Haley Black, Marlin DeMarce Jr., Ilana Greybear, Keeley Greybear and Brady Greybear (Brooklynne)/Twins Cole and Chance Archambault, and Dakotah Archambault; great grandchildren Harper, Nico, Olivia, Parker, Selena/Lorena, Nolan, Jerehkia, Jacelyn, Brenna and Leilani; five sisters and one brother; special friend Kim Waa; many nieces, nephews and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents, granddaughter Mallory Demarce and eight siblings.

Casket Bearers for Joyce will be Brady Greybear, Cole Archambault, Chance Archambault, Lance Kimmerly, Darren Kimmerly, Tyson Sullivan, Peter Owlboy Sr., and Allen Alberts II. All Drum Groups and Singers are welcome to share their songs in memory of Joyce.

A Special Thank You to Lakota Ambulance First Responders, Staff at the Devils Lake Hospital Emergency Room, Physicians and Nurses at Essentia Health in Fargo, Kevin Dauphinais and Staff at Tribal Health and for all those wonderful families who donated in anyway to the family to assist them with their stay in Fargo and Cankdeska Cikana Community College. May God Bless you for your kindness, loving care of our Mom and for your support over these past weeks.

Honorary Bearers: Catherine Howard, Carl McKay Jr., Lisa Kimmerly, Chris McCloud, Lisa Chaske, Rena Little-Lohnes, Lisa Rainbow, Doug Morin and Tracey Charboneau.