KAREN WHITE HORSE

Wake services were Tuesday and Wednesday at the Marty Indian School Gym in Marty for Karen White Horse, 66, of Wagner. Funeral services were Thursday, December 24 at the Gym. Burial was in the Holy Fellowship Episcopal Cemetery, rural Greenwood. Peters Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

Karen Jean White Horse was born April 8, 1954 to Ruby (Jandreau) White Horse and Louie White Horse in Wagner. She passed away Friday, December 18, 2020 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, due to Coronavirus and other health complications.

Karen attended school at He Dog in Parmelee, where she was a Kindergarten Valentine Princess and Wagner School. She earned her GED then her Bachelor of Arts degree from USD, Vermillion, in May of 1981, with encouragement from her family and Dr. Wayne Evans. She worked at Marty Indian School for 40+ years with wonderful staff and colleagues. Karen served on the Boys and Girls Club board for many years and served as secretary for the Diocese of South Dakota Episcopal Annual Convention. She was an active member at Woniya Wakan/Holy Spirit Church and served as senior warden for many years.

Karen enjoyed cooking and could prepare a six course meal in two hours. She enjoyed gathering turnips, sage, morel mushrooms, other native medicines, chokecherries, plums and drying corn with her family. She liked playing softball. Karen enjoyed listening to music, especially Prince. She had many treasured possessions and had a sense of humor that she shared with everyone. Karen had a distinctive laugh and laughed often. She enjoyed traveling and experiencing new things. She cherished her family, especially her grandchildren and spent time with them as often as possible.

Karen is survived by her children: Ruby Stricker, Francis (Roxanne) Stricker and Simone Cournoyer; siblings: Patricia (Dean) White Horse-Carda, Marilyn (Michael) Redlightning, Richard (Azaelia) White Horse, Constance (James) Vallie, Janice Williams, Wyatt White Horse and Priscilla Farrell; and many relatives and friends.

Karen was preceded in death by her life partner, Robert Cournoyer; parents Louie and Ruby; sister Beverly; brother Morgan; maternal grandparents Albert Jandreau and Adeline (Archambeau Jandreau) LaPointe; paternal grandparents Arthur White Horse and Amelia Menard; three nephews: Larry and Calvin Picotte and Mato Vallie; and daughter-in-law Roxanne Stricker.