Wife of David Joseph Stewart Sr, daughter of Ettinge Strange Owl Sr and Agnes Ceasley
Adelia Stewart Obituary
DUNMORE — Adelia M. Stewart, 74, of the Dunmore area, passed away early Thursday morning, Aug. 7, 2003, in the Billings Deaconess Hospital.Baawaalushihchesh (Provides food) was born March 4, 1929, in St. Xavier, a daughter of Ettinge and Agnes Ceasley Little Owl, Sr., a direct descendent of Chief Bellrock. She grew up and attended schools in the St. Xavier area including the Public School and the Buckskin Mission School. She later attended Eastern Montana College and Little Big Horn College attaining an Associate in Arts Degree in Early Childhood education. Her teaching career started at the Crow Agency Foursquare Church in the Sunday school program, then later at the Kinsman Indian School before beginning a 17-year career with the Crow Head Start Program, serving in various capacities until her retirement in 2003. She dedicated her life to teaching and took great joy in watching children learn.
Adelia married David Stewart, Sr. on April 10, 1949, in Billings, and the couple made their home at East Dunmore. They recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. The couple were avid Bulldog fans where all of the cross country, basketball and volleyball players knew her as "Grandma." She also followed the United Tribes Thunderbirds from Bismarck, N.D. She loved to attend Powwows from Canada to Oklahoma to California, developing an extensive network of friends and extended families. Her cooking and sewing talents were well known. She loved to sing Indian gospel songs and was a women backup singer. In 1973, she and her husband were appointed by Montana Governor Tom Judge to represent the State of Montana promoting tourism throughout Japan and Europe.
She was a member Foursquare Church, Ties the Bundle Clan and a child of the Piegan Clan.
Her parents; son, Franklin, sisters, Lucy and Dorothy Little Owl; brothers, Xavier and Frank Little Owl and a granddaughter, Briana Shane, preceded Adelia in death.
Survivors include her husband, David; five daughters, Donna (Harold) Hill, Letitia Stewart, Loretta Thomas, Jessica and Patleen Stewart; two sons, David (Colleen Kelly) Stewart, Jr. and Cyrus (Tia Harris) Stewart; her sisters, Hazel (Starr) Not Afraid, Darlene (Sonny) Hugs, Philamine Old Coyote, Nora (Dennis) Big Hair and Lauren (Vincent) Spint; four brothers, Ettinge (Harriett), Larry (Linda) and Thomas (Linda) Little Owl; 24 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; her adopted sons and daughters, Ruth (Carl) Brown, Linda (Joe) Holden, Karlita Knight, Stanley Pretty Paint, Jackie (Alfred) Morrisette, Jr., Henrietta (James Morrison) Stewart and Callie Baker; her adopted mother, Mabel Beebe of Canada; her adopted brothers and sisters, Virginia He Does It, Barbara (Cleo) Medicine Horse, Franklin Plenty Hoops, Myron (Vivian) Driftwood, Howard (Vivian) Shane, Nettie White, Lois (Tom Sr.) Whiteman of Montana, Lois Little Owl and Vivian Fox Pankey of North Dakota; and her uncle, Phillip (Martha) Beaumont, Sr.. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and her extend family including the He Does It, Bellrock, Bird Hat, Carpenter, Jefferson, Little Light, Hunts Arrow, Walks, Covers Up, Good Luck, Bull over the Hill, Brady, Fasthorse, Bearstail, Jackson, Little Swallow, Hart, Smith, Half and Bebee families. Our family and extended families are large, if we have forgotten to mention you, please accept our apology.
God gave us a precious gift, Mom is now receiving her reward in heaven.
Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11, in the Bullis Funeral Chapel. Interment will follow in the Hardin Fairview Cemetery. Bullis Mortuary of Hardin has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Hardin Bulldog Booster Fund, 1st Interstate Bank, Hardin.
Published by Billings Gazette on Aug. 9, 2003.