Rena Ann Gardipee

Rena Ann Gardipee, 74, passed away Friday, Aug. 16, 2013 at Benefis Hosptial in Great Falls, Montana of natural causes. Her wake service will begin Saturday at the Old Senior Center and continue Sunday afternoon at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rocky Boy. Her funeral service will be 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rocky Boy. Her burial will follow at the Gardipee  Family Plot on Laredo Road. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.

Rena was born Feb. 10, 1939, in Rocky Boy, Mont., to Samuel Sr. and Minnie (Gopher) Sangrey. She was raised in Rocky Boy and graduated from Flandreau Indian School in South Dakota. She later attended Northern Montana College in Havre. She was employed at the Rocky Boy School for over 20 years and later for the Chippewa Cree Housing Authority. Her last 20 years she was the Administrative Assistant for the Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement. She also served on the Hill County and Rocky Boy election boards. While working for law enforcement she organized Easter Egg hunts, and handing out Christmas candy to the youth. She also helped numerous people who needed it throughout her career and afterwards.

Her hobbies included playing Bingo at the Duck Inn and Bullhook, she liked to play the Keno machines, watch sports on TV especially her team, the Denver Broncos. She married Stanley Gardipee Jr. in 1958 and had four children, Kenneth (Estella) Gardipee Jr., Ronald Gardipee, Richard (Brenda) Gardipee, and Susan (Clyde Jr.) Werk. Rena was a very smart, thoughtful and strong lady throughout her life.

She was preceded in death by her father, Samuel Sangrey; her sister, Sybil Sangrey Colliflower, and her brother, Dennis Sangrey.

Rena is survived by her mother, Minnie Sangrey of Rocky Boy; her brothers, Samuel Jr. (Harriet) of San Diego, Calif., Richard Sangrey, James “Buzzy” Sangrey, Mike Sangrey and Robert Stump Sr., all of Rocky Boy; her sisters, Madeline Gardipee, Ramona Henderson and Patsy Raining Bird; her 14 grandchildren; her 10 great-grandchildren; her only great-great-grandchild; and her adopted brother, Vernon The Boy.

“We all loved her and will miss her greatly.”