Cheryl Sutherland

Cheryl Lynn Sutherland, 65, died March 31, 2026, at the Billings Clinic in Billings.

She was given her beloved nickname, “Boo Bear” from her older brother Richard when she was an infant. She was given her Dakota name, Waha’canka Duta Wi (Red Shield Woman).

She was born Dec. 5, 1960, in Poplar to Richard “Dicky” Sutherland and Louise Ell. She was enrolled in Rocky Boy, but Poplar is where she called home. She loved both reservations as many of her beloved relatives resided in both.

She in early years she followed her parents to California until they moved back home to Montana. She later moved with her father to Rocky Boy. They later moved to Columbia Falls, later moving back with her mother to Fort Peck Reservation. Together with her siblings, they lived at the Glasgow Air Force Base where she continued her schooling.

In the years to follow, she married and divorced Jerry Small and, together, they had a son, Terrell. Grandma Louise raised him as her own.

She continued on her own path and met Alfred Walking Eagle and, together, had Seneca, whom her uncle Walkie and aunt Rose Sutherland raised in Rocky Boy.

She later met Frank Martell and had their sons, Cale and Brandon. They parted their ways, and she later met Bernard Noel Youpee. Together, they had their daughters, Britney and Marlene. Years later, she met Robert Brown and they had their sons, Richard and Zachary.

Throughout her life, she wore several hats; she worked as a geographical seismic surveyor, firefighting camp crew, housekeeper for the Rocky Boy Tribal Health, net maker for A& S Industries and Fort Peck Tribes Daycare worker. But above all, her most cherished role was helping raise her grandchildren.

She was a woman of strong