Buck Bears Heart served country as proud Marine
By Jo Hall

William, or "Buck" Bears Heart as everybody who knew him, took great pride in that he had served his country. The Marines was such an opportunity for him to express that pride. He served in the U.S. Marines as a Private First Class until his honorable discharge in 1991.

One of his other moments that he cherished and was proud of was his participation in the "Big Foot" rides, going from Standing Rock to Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He was one of the few who began on the first ride and continued to participate in 1988, 1989 and 1990. He also rode from Rosebud to Saskatchewan, Canada.

"Buck was a caring, loving individual," his family said. "He was one of the most generous men around, always willing to offer help and volunteer whatever he was able to do."

Buck died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Tuesday, July 31, 2007, at the Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin, N.D., where he had been working. He was 40 years old.

He was the son of the Very Rev. Wilbur A. and Julia R. Bears Heart. Buck always maintained his Christian upbringing in the Episcopal Church. However, his Native American culture was also important to him. He was a graduate of Standing Rock College in May of 1992.

He married Florence Roemmick on June 21, 2003, at St. Elizabeth's Church near Wakpala where he had been a member through the years. Although he left no children, he loved his nephews and nieces as though they were his own.

Surviving are his wife, Florence, of Mobridge; brothers, Wilbur A. Bears Heart Jr., Sidney C. (Jodee) Bears Heart and John C. Bears Heart, all of rural Wakpala on Snake Creek; and sisters, Susan V. Bears Heart of rural Wakpala on Snake Creek and Angela D. Bears Heart of Mobridge.

His father and mother, and brothers David Stuart Bears Heart and Thomas Joseph Bears Heart preceded him in death.

The funeral for Buck was Monday, Aug. 6, at St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church near Wakpala. The Very Rev. Leslie Campbell, Deacon Beatrice Skinner and Standing Rock lay readers officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery under the direction of Oster Funeral Home of Mobridge.

Casketbearers were his nephews, Matthew St. Pierre, Stephen St. Pierre, Andrew St. Pierre, Sidney Bears Heart III, Stuart Bears Heart, Todd Cadotte, Harlan Cadotte, Shaun Cadotte, Raymond Cadotte and Chet Four Bear.

Honorary bearers were all the Big Foot Riders, his high school class, fellow Marines, the graduating class of Sitting Bull College of May 1992, and all his other friends and relatives.

An all night wake service began Sunday evening, Aug. 5, preceded by family and friends meeting at the funeral home to follow in procession to the Community Center in Wakpala for the wake.

Ellie