Obituary - Ruby Idora Brockie, (NokihGun Itha) "Warrior Woman"

Ruby Idora Brockie, (NokihGun Itha) "Warrior Woman,"85 years of age, member of the Frozen Clan of the White Clay Nation (AaniNiiin) of Hays, Montana, was called home January 5, 2019.

Ruby was born April 18, 1933 to Edna (Warrior) Ball and Dorrance (Horseman) Blackwolf. After a childhood illness she was given to her great-grandmother Coming Day Light, whom she lived with until she was 9 years old.

Ruby married Henry "Prince" Brockie September 21, 1948. Ruby and Prince just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in September 2018, receiving acknowledgment from many friends and relatives, including letters from Gov. Steve Bullock and Sen. Jon Tester.

Ruby was an avid gardener and planted close to 50 trees and shrubs in her yard, including apple, plum and cherry trees. Her goal was to make a contribution to counter the negative impact of deforestation, by planting trees. She also loved canning and raising chickens. She taught her children how to can and bake and passed on an appreciation for gardening and planting trees, shrubs and flowers to her children and grandchildren.

She was a founding member of the Chief Joseph Pow Wow and the Hays Pow Wow. Throughout the years, she served on numerous dance committees including the Milk River Pow Wow and the Mid-winter Fair. She also served on the Tribal Housing Authority Board and the Tribal Health Board for many years.

Ruby created safe spaces, to teach her children and grandchildren about their family, clan and tribal history through storytelling. She received many invitations to share her knowledge, including from the University of Montana, and as a Wisdom of the Elders panelist for the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. She was a member of the Elders Council for Montana State University in Bozeman.

Ruby loved to travel. She traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada to attend powwows and to attend granchildren's basketball games and rodeos. She also loved traveling with her children and grandchildren, trips included the Redwood Forest in California, attending Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Arizona and Texas to attend her grandchildren's graduations and traveled to Washington, Florida, New Mexico, Colorado, to name a few. She spent much time in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD, area.

She loved and adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She raised grandsons Charlie Ereaux, Andrew Werk Jr., Jordan and Justin Whiteclay and Thane Helgeson and granddaughter Shyanne Redbear. Although she loved them all equally, she had a special place in her heart for her grandsons. She has many adopted grandchildren including Gabe Guerrero, Tony Little Owl, A.J. Stiffarm, Chay-Chazz Shambo, Sheila and Gerald Martin, Petrina Ariwite, Lana and Nona Longknife, (the late) Kenny Doney and all of Bazoo and Nucky's children and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Edna, father, Dorrance, and beloved great-grandmother Coming Day Light; brothers James (Theresa) Blackwolf and Benjamin Horseman; sisters Lana (Hodie), Cheryl (Dollie), and Georgia Blackwolf, Theodora "Ola" Cochran, Lily Lodge, Birdie Mae Shortman, and Susan Carol (1 year) and George Gilbert (3), Leroy Benjamin (5) Horseman; and grandsons Ted Brockie, Jonathan Tillman and Kimowen Bell, nephew Raymond Chandler and adopted grandsons Marvin "Buddie" Doney, and Alwayne "A.J." LaRoque.

She is survived by her husband, Henry "Prince;" children, Clarena, Michael (Dixie), Stormy, Lorraine (Leonard) Billy, Susan (Rod) Tillman, Leslie (David) Racine, Helena, Teresa, Angela, Kimberly, and Billie (Fredrika) Lamere, Gloria (Calvin) Gone, Joe Brockie and Robyn Hawk; brothers Ruben (Jackie) Horseman, Robert Ball, Morris "Davie"(Vicky) Belgarde; and sisters Amy Horseman and Marlene Stiffarm and brother-in-law Robert Cochran Sr. Special grandchildren; Valdean and Khalid El Assad. Survivors also include extended families from Fort Peck: First, Steele, Smoker, Blount, Wallette/Plain Feather, Melbourne, Buckles and Redbear; and from Wind River the Gamblers and SpoonHunters. Extended Fort Belknap families include: Ball, Blackbird and Chandler. She is also survived by 46 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

In the end, she was provided loving care by her grandchildren Baby Rod Tillman, Kara Obey-Bell, Nicole Brockie, Thane Helgeson and Hank Brockie.

A two-day wake started Tuesday at 7 p.m. and continues today, January 8 and 9, at the family home in old Hays. Funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, 11:00 a.m., at the Saint Paul's Mission Recreation Center in Hays, with burial in old Hays.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Please visit Ruby's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com/.

Pallbearers are Chief Messerly, Tom Filesteel, John "Muggy" Filesteel, Cameron Three Irons, Alan Cue Three Irons, and RayPaul Helgeson.