Obituary - Mario Patacsil Sr.

Mario Patacsil Sr., One Who Wakes Up, 77, passed away due to natural causes Saturday, September 9, 2023.

Wake services began at 5:00 p.m. and a Rosary was recited at 7:00 p.m., all Monday, September 11, 2023. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. today, Tuesday, September 12, 2023, all at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Burial followed in the Patacsil Family Cemetery.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Please visit Mario’s online memorial page to send a card or leave a message of condolence for his family at https://www.hollandbonine.com .

Mario was born January 18, 1946, in El Centro, CA, to Bernabe and Elizabeth (Sutherland) Patacsil. He was raised there for the first few years of his life until the family moved back to Montana while Mario was in elementary school. Over the next several years, the family lived in various places in Montana.

Mario returned to Rocky Boy in the late ’60s, and, in 1968, he married Sharon Dusty Bull. The couple had two children, and, in 1976, they moved to Seattle where Mario owned and operated Daybreak Star Printing. In 1997, he turned over the operation of the printing company to his oldest son, and he and Sharon returned to Rocky Boy. There, he remained semi-retired, but helped various tribal offices out over the years doing odd jobs.

Mario was an avid photographer who loved to take pictures of his family, community, and friends. He loved to fish, collect antique items, watches, coins, rifles and Native American collectibles. He also took great joy in watching his grandchildren succeed and participate in the activities they enjoyed. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon Patacsil; parents, Bernabe and Elizabeth Patacsil; sisters Shirley Aragon and Rosemary Sangrey; and brother Victor Patacsil.

Mario is survived by his sons, Mario (Lucilla Scott) Patacsil and Shane Patacsil, Sr., all of Rocky Boy; eight grandchildren, Mario III, Sharon, and Marcus Patacsil, Isiah Murie, and Ariana, Shania (Andruw Allen), Shane Jr., and Siyeh Patacsil; one great-granddaughter, Ruw Allen; brothers Matthew, Bernabe, Richard, Leon, Curtis, Bruce, and Walter; sister Roxanne, and many other extended family and friends.