BERNICE RUSSETTE obituary

ROCKY BOY Bernice Ruth (Meyers) Russette (Thunder Bird Woman), 71, of Rocky Boy died in her home peacefully on Wednesday, March 28, 2007, from a lengthy illness with cancer.

A wake service will begin Thursday afternoon in Rocky Boy at the Catholic Church. Her funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Bernice was born Feb. 29, 1936, in Rocky Boy to Gilbert Meyers and Elizabeth Good Running. Bernice attended Salish Kootenai College and graduated in 1989 with a human service technology degree at the age of53. She took karate class, which she really enjoyed. Bernice enjoyed teaching her grandchildren her Native culture and traditional way of life, walking in the mountains and picking berries with her children and grandchildren. She loved camping out along with the cookouts and watching her grandchildren swim. She told the story of where a diamond comes from to her children. It is from this story that she will always be their diamond. Survivors include her husband, James Paul Russette Sr. Of Rocky Boy; daughters, Ruth (Lyman Sr.) Wolf Chief, Deanna (Udall Sr.) Gibson of Thoreau N. M., Dale Russette of Box Elder, Janna Chavez of Rocky Boy ,; Gina Wright of Box Elder and Kristy Chavez and Kyla Valdez of Rocky Boy; sons, James Jr. (Evelyn) Russette of Havre, Dean (Jackie) Russette of Rocky Boy, Wesley Sr. (Renessa) Russette of Lame Deer and James Sr. (Heather) Gibson of Rocky Boy; sisters, Alice Russette, Linda Luna and Jackie Meyers-Swan of Rocky Boy and Ella Jean Morales of San Diego, Calif .; brothers, John G. Meyers of Rocky Boy and John Demontiney of Albuquerque, N.M .; 37 grandchildren; 43 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, Elizabeth (John) Good Running and Gilbert (Sis) Meyers; two daughters; five grandsons; two granddaughters; five sisters; and two brothers. Memorials can be given in her name to 550 N. 31st St., Suite 103, Billings, MT 59101. Holland and Bonine Funeral Home of Havre is in charge of arrangement.