Marcella LeBeau honored by South Dakota
Marcella LeBeau honored by South Dakota
By Clara Caufield
Native Sun News Today Correspondent
EAGLE BUTTE – On Friday, April 22, 2022, the late Marcella LeBeau, Pretty Rainbow Woman, Cheyenne River Sioux was one of several WW11 Veterans honored by the South Dakota State Historical Society Conference in Pierre, Wyoming. The conference theme was “Fighting the Good War – South Dakotans in World War 11.”
Marcella passed away in November 2021 at the age of 102, just shortly after being inducted into the National Native American Hall of Fame. In addition, she has been inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame and honored by many other venues for her valiant service in WW11 where she was a nurse at the Battle of the Bulge.
The dedication to Marcella was the first to begin the conference, presented by her good friend and fellow tribal member, Professor Donovin Sprague (now in charge of history and advisor to the Native American students at Sheridan Community College). Marcella’s story started with Beginnings in Promise where Marcella was born. Other highlights included her family, military history, education and return to Cheyenne River where she worked as a nurse for decades and served on the tribal council, ever a powerful voice within her community and indeed the Great Plains region.
In addition to her contemporary family, Sprague highlighted many of LeBeau’s’ ancestors, veterans themselves. Images were shown of the White Horse Winter Count (1798-1915) from her community with photographs of Joseph Four Bear, Antoine LeBeau, Rain-in-the-Face and Armstrong Four Bear and other signers of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. Antoine LeBeau was a fur trader who started a trading post which became LeBeau, South Dakota.
Rain-in-the-Face, well known Lakota warrior fought at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, ancestor of Marcella on her grandmother’s side. Armstrong Four Bear was a decorated WW1 Veteran, rodeo performer and roper. Indeed, Marcella’s root ran deep in the history of the West.
Sprague a close personal friend of LeBeau recalled her favorite saying “Who would have thought that a little girl from Promise would be honored this way? Life is precious. Make the most of each day.” Excellent advice.
(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)
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May 5, 2022