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WILLISTON, N.D.
Allen Frank "Sonny" Youpee, Matokohomoni (Turning Bear), age 70, of Trenton, N.D., a 1961 Poplar High School graduate and U.S. Army and Army National Guard
veteran, who completed 133 combat jumps, died of natural causes Friday, March 30, at Mercy Medical Center in Williston, N.D.
Visitation is 7 p.m. Friday at Poplar Cultural Center, with the funeral at 10 a.m. Saturday at the center. Interment will follow at
Youpee Family Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point and Poplar is handling arrangements
He is survived by his companion, Bernadyne White
of Trenton; son Junior Boyd of Wolf Point; brothers and sisters Williamette Bussard of Salinas, Calif., Helen Ricker , Dwight Youpee of Santa Barbara, Calif.,
Josi Youpee, Rene Martell, Lori LaFromboise, Marvin Youpee and Gretchen Youpee of Poplar, and Cary Youpee of Helena; adopted brother and sister Albert "Greek"
Culbertson and Joan Broomfield of Poplar; and many grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Joe Cloud Boy.
[Great Falls Tribune, Great Falls, MT, 06 Apr 2012, Fri, Page 8] |
Allen Frank “Sonny” Youpee, Matokohomoni (Turning Bear), age 70, of Trenton, ND, passed away March 30, 2012, at Mercy Medical Center in Williston, ND.
Sonny and his twin sister, Helen Frances Youpee-Ricker, were born to William “Bill” Youpee, Sr. and Isabel Floretta Weinberger March 1, 1942, in Poplar, MT. He attended his early school years in Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR, and graduated from Poplar High School, Poplar, in 1961. He studied Agriculture and Film and Television at Montana State University in Bozeman.
On January 29, 1963, Sonny volunteered for service in the United States Army in Butte, MT. After completing basic training in Ford Ord, California, Advanced Individual Training at Fort Polk, LA, Airborne Jump School at Fort Benning, GA, and Medical School at Fort Sam Houston, TX, he was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC with the “All American” 82nd Airborne Division.
During his tour of duty, Allen was in Operation Power Pack in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with V Device, Combat Medical Badge, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and Parachutist Badge. He completed 133 combat jumps and was a combat medic.
Near the end of his enlistment, he participated in NATO exercise operations (war games) in Turkey and, because of his Critical MOS, thought his tour might be extended for Vietnam, but he received an Honorable Discharge on January 28, 1966.
Sonny was exceptionally proud of his service; he was a founding member of the Montana Chapter of the All Airborne Association. He also joined the Montana National Guard in Culbertson, MT, as well as VFW Post #1755. Often asked to participate in honor and color guards, he proudly wore his maroon beret and |
Sonny raised horses and cows with his father and brothers, worked in the Oil Patch, and completed truck driving and heavy equipment training in Missoula, MT.
Later in life, he enjoyed traveling around the country with his 5th wheel camper while listening to classic country music. He annually participated in the Crazy Horse Volksmarch, and attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with his brother, Marvin. Sonny was an avid Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Broncos fan, never missing a game.
Allen is preceded in death by his son, Joe Cloud Boy; father, William Youpee, Sr.; mother, Isabel Weinberger; grandparents, Helen and Joe Brushhorn and George and Ida Turning Bear Weinberger; brothers, William Youpee, Jr. and Thomas Daniel Youpee, and sister Isabelle Florence Youpee.
He is survived by his longtime companion, Bernadyne White, of Trenton, ND; son, Junior Boyd of Wolf Point, MT; brothers and sisters, Williamette (Larry) Bussard of Salinas, CA, Helen (George) Ricker, Dwight Youpee of Santa Barbara, CA., Josi Youpee & Réné Martell, Lori LaFromboise and Gretchen Youpee, all of Poplar, Cary (Linda) Youpee of Helena and Marvin (Ranae) Youpee of Poplar; adopted brother and sister, Albert “Greek” Culbertson and Joan Broomfield, both of Poplar; special cousin, Norman Red Thunder, of Portland, OR; uncles, Jim Youpee of Brockton and Lloyd Youpee of Poplar; aunt, Loretta Black Dog Bear Cub of Fort Kipp; special grandson Dillon “Baby Dil” Brunelle; his buddy Lassie Ann; and many cousins and numerous nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
A Visitation Service will be 7 p.m. Friday, April 6, at the Poplar Cultural Center. Funeral Service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 7, also at the Cultural Center. Interment will follow at the Youpee Family Cemetery.
[courtesy of Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel] |
