Kayleigh Ownspipe

Kayleigh Jeri Nico Jones Ownspipe, 24, of Wolf Point died Oct. 8, 2023.

Given her grandmother’s name of Itunka Ota Win, she was born on April 7, 1999, to Sandra Ownspipe and Wylan Jones in Wolf Point. She grew up in Wolf Point and attended school in Wolf Point until her freshman year, then transferred to Brockton where she graduated as a Warrior in class of 2017.

Growing up, she loved to dance. Her sisters and her would even play pow-wow when they weren’t at a powwow. She was a champion traditional dancer. She made many friends on the powwow trail. At 11 years old, she was inspired to hoop dance. So her family got her hoops made and away she went, making shapes and animals with her many hoops. This took her to many places and schools. She enjoyed this as many faces lit up when she would make a new shape.

In 2012, she attended a celebration in Fort Yates, N.D. After her finals, a lady approached her and asked if she would be interested in modeling at the He Sapa Style show in Rapid City, S.D., that October. She went and was picked by out of four of the five artists. The fifth came to her and said he wished he made woman’s apparel because “Kay would be the face,” which put a huge smile on her face. After the show, a gentleman asked if she was serious about modeling. He invited her to classes in JRP in Williston, N.D. After seeing a large number of people auditioning for the spots, she looked at her mom and asked, “What do we do?” Her mom shook her head and said, “I don’t know, audition?” When they called her name, they told her she didn’t need to audition because she was an invite. After a few months of training with a group of 15, she attended a show case in Minot, N.D. There, she was told high fashion models are about 5’9” and any other modeling she should be at least 5’6”. She was only 5’4”, but that didn’t seem to phase her much. She signed with IMG models and later with MM6 Talent. She did clothing flyers, hair and makeup shows, a dental commercial and modeling for Dick’s Sporting