Leona Night Pipe Garreaux was born Aug 22, 1932, the 3rd oldest child of Clarence and Winnie (Prue) Night Pipe in Okreek, SD. She was raised in a Lakota speaking family and did not learn to speak English until she was sent to boarding school.

Leona lost her courageous battle with cancer on May 10, 2008 at the Winner Regional Hospital surrounded by her children. Leona attended Mission Boarding School and Okreek School. As a young woman she worked at the Okreek General Store where she met her future husband, Cecil Harsin. Cecil and Leona were married on March 25, 1949 at St. Peters Catholic Church in Okreek. They raised their family of six children in Gregory, SD. Leona was employed for 28 years by the Indian Health Service in Rosebud, SD, initially as an Emergency Medical Technician, later as a Community Health Representative and coordinator of the Ear, Nose and Throat clinic. She retired in 2000. Leona was active in the Episcopal faith her entire life working with the Women's Guild at Church of Incarnation in Gregory and later at Calvary Episcopal Church in Okreek, volunteering her time for many church activities. Leona could be seen well into her seventies mowing her grass and weeding her flower beds and vegetable garden. One of her greatest joys was canning vegetables to share with family and friends. Leona was happiest when surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was an accomplished cook, seamstress, carpenter, and upholsterer. She had a strong and independent spirit, instilling in her children and grandchildren by example the sense that any life goal was within their reach. In her retirement years, Leona's passion was spending time with her friends and sisters playing bingo at the Rosebud Casino. Leona was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence Night Pipe and Winnie Prue Night Pipe; sisters Katherine Willcuts, Bernice Willcuts, and Wilda Jean Night Pipe, brother Ben Denver Night Pipe, her second husband Manson Garreaux and son-in-law Randy Lyon. She is survived by her sons Arylin and James of Okreek, Louie and wife Michelle of Gregory, her daughters Jean Cole of Albuquerque, NM, Leigh Lyon of Burke, Lynda Ehrich and husband Tom of Concord, CA and former husband Cecil Harsin of Burke. She was a beloved grandmother to Wendi, Dhani, and D.J. Cole; Ryan and Rhiana Cole (Nathan Limpus); Scott and Shaun Harsin; Carmen (Dave Hutchison) and Craig Lyon; Misty (Karl McGaugh), Joshua and Melissa Harsin; as well as 18 great-grandchildren. She leaves to mourn her passing sisters Diane Flood, Velma Reifel, Florine Fast Horse, Geraldine Night Pipe, Lorraine Denoyer, brother Gerald Night Pipe, numerous nieces and nephews, friends and coworkers. She was a blessing to every life she touched. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 10:00 AM at the Wilbur Miller Memorial Gymnasium in O'Kreek. A prayer service will be held on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the Wilbur Miller Memorial Gymnasium. Burial will be in Hillview Cemetery, Dallas, SD, near her beloved Aunt and Uncle, Charles and Lorraine (Prue) Whitepipe.

Don't think of her as gone away,
her journey has just begun.
Life holds so many facets,
this earth is only one.

Just think of her as resting from
the sorrow and the tears,
In a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days or years.

Think how she must be wishing
that we could know today,
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.

And think of her as living
in the hearts of those she touched.
Where nothing loved is ever lost
and she was loved so much.