William John Baker, 71 years old, began his journey to the Happy Hunting Grounds on July 18, 2021, in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a car accident in Evanston, Wyo. William was born to Vivian Yellow Hawk Lindahl and Cornelius Diserly on Dec. 19, 1949, in Poplar, Mont. He attended schools in poplar until he moved with his family to California. This move would be the first of many throughout his life. William delighted in travel and often shared stories of his adventures on the “yellow brick road.” He made countless friends and relatives during his travels. William lived in many places including Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Washington, Canada and Montana. He has traveled to many places in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Australia and most recently Columbia and Peru. He was making plans to go to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. William truly was a citizen of the world. William enjoyed powwows and traditional dancing, especially with Scobey John. He would make beautiful beadwork, fans and gourds. William immersed his grandsons Cade Baker and Scobey John Baker in his knowledge of peyote ceremonies, Sundance, inipi ceremonies. They often lived on the road in the summers and at various times during the year so they could keep learning and sharing with the friends they made along their way. William was a road man and spiritual leader. He will be forever remembered for his good words and welcoming ways. He taught many people how to pray and to know Tunkasida. He was always willing to help friends, relatives and acquaintances. Many healings have been attributed to his intervention. William had a unique gift for remaining flexible and accepting while respecting “his grandfather’s ways.” He would say he was “following the medicine.” William prayed constantly for all of the Indigenous peoples of the world, who he considered his relatives. He had compassion for people who struggled with addiction and trauma, he helped them find healing. He spoke out against alcohol and meth abuse on Fort Peck. He sincerely wished for his grandchildren to practice their culture and walk the red road of life. He practiced forgiveness in his lifetime and would want those afflicted by abuse to receive healing. William is survived by his aunt, Faye McGrath; his brother, Vaughn (Helen) Dix Baker; Hunka brother ,Wesley Fool Bull, Terry Fool Bull, Kirk Fool Bull; his Hunka sisters, Eva Fool Bull, Isabell Fool Bull; his daughters, Kelly (Ray) R B Aune, Jennifer (Gib) Medicine Cloud, Kayleen (James) Tretheway, Stanna Plain Bull, Laurie Baker; his sons, Gavin Baker, Brendon (Francine) Wajunta Sr., Kale Btricksaw, Mahto Cheya Williams; his hunka relative, Kai Teague; and his beloved companion, Eveluna Dance Misticismo of Peru. He is preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Adele Oron Leggings-Azure; maternal grandfather, John Jack YellowHawk; paternal grandmother, Sarah Escarcega- Diserly; paternal grandfather, Frank Diserly; his mother, Vivian YellowHawk Kindahl; his father, Cornelius Diserly; his brother, Lorne (age 3); his hunka father, Leslie Fool Bull; his hunka mother, Ollie Fool Bull; his son, Scobey Baker Sr.; his grandson, Scobey “Scobey John” George Baker Jr.; his hunka brothers Willard Fool Bull, Gervis Fool Bull, Reno Fool Bull; and his hunka sister, Mary Fool Bull. William’s adopted relatives are too numerous to count. He was known as Dad, Uncle, Brother and Grandfather to diverse people across this Western Hemisphere. William will be fondly remembered for his kindness, generosity and optimism. Mitakuye Oyasin - All my relations. A wake was held on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Park in Poplar. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 29, 2021 at 9 a.m. at the American Legion Park in Poplar. Interment will follow at the Baker Family Cemetery. (Paid Obituary)

Sweet Loretta Martin, get back to where you once belong, sang John Lennon. And, alas, it has come to pass. Sweet Loretta, age 93, is back with the Stidolph family where she once belonged.

Victor Ralph Gess was a husband, father, brother, author and friend to all. He died July 18, 2021. His life journey began May 10, 1934, on a 600-acre homestead in Wolf Point, Mont., settled by his father Julius and mother Alma. He and his brother Robert, and sisters Lorraine and Helen, worked on the family farm raising cattle and growing wheat. Victor participated in many Montana rodeo events growing up and became an accomplished bull rider, winning several championships by the time he was 26. After completing his enlistment in the U.S. Army, Victor graduated from Montana State University with a bachelor of science degree in economics. He married Hollie Carlson in 1960 and moved to Billings, Mont., where he worked as a Registered Representative. In 1966, Victor and Hollie and their two daughters, Cynthia and Catherine, moved to California where he managed the San Francisco branch office of Goodbody & Co., which later merged with Merrill Lynch. Victor and Hollie’s son, James, was born in 1967. Victor and Hollie moved to Moraga, Calif., in 1968 where their children attended school and graduated from Campolindo High School. Victor and Hollie joined the Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church in Orinda. Victor was a member of the congregation for 53 years, serving as a council member during that time. He was an independent real estate investor and mortgage broker for many years. Even in retirement, he worked part-time at the Contra Costa County HICAP office in Concord, where he made many friends and was a valued employee. Throughout Victor’s life he had a passion for genealogy and spent years discovering his relatives in Europe as they migrated to the New World and eventually settled in Wolf Point, Mont. As a result of his research and the oral history relayed by relatives, Victor became a published author at age 83 when Portrait of a Homesteader appeared on Amazon marketplace. He was a founding member of The Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe (SGGEE). Victor was preceded in death by his parents, sister Lorraine Morrison, wife Hollie, daughter Catherine Mullenberg, and son James. He is survived by his daughter Cynthia Jorgensen, granddaughter Kelsey Jorgensen, brother and sister-inlaw, Robert and Merna Gess, sister Helen Robbins and many nephews and nieces in the western United States. We are grateful to all the friends and family who reached out to Victor in his final days offering support and assistance. Special thanks to his dear friends Hal and Leah from the HICAP office for their knowledge and guidance during this difficult time and to the wonderful caregivers at the Bruns House Hospice facility in Alamo, who made his final days peaceful and pain-free. Charitable donations in Victor’s memory may be made to Bruns House, East Bay Hospice, CaringBridge or Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church. A memorial service will be held Sunday, Nov. 7, in the afternoon at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 433 Moraga Way, Orinda, Calif. More details to follow and will be posted on his CaringBridge site: https://www.caringbridge. org/public/victorsupdate. (Paid Obituary)

Austin Tex Longee, 30, died July 19, 2021, in Poplar. He was born Aug. 7, 1990, to Dianna Longee and Narvin Chaser in Sidney. He attended school at Poplar High School for a short time, then moved to New Town, N.D. He liked to play basketball, go fishing, go hunting, go for walks and visit family and friends. He was a grass dancer and liked doing odd jobs for people. He was with his companion, Sioux Dawn Red Eagle, who died June 15, 2021. He is survived by his mother, Dianna Longee; stepfather, Terry Two Hearts; daughter, Aleshia Deanne Longee; and brothers, Milfred “Lilman” Longee and Arvin Red Star. He was preceded in death by his brother, Gary W. Jackson Jr. Funeral services were held Saturday, July 24, at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment followed at St. Ann’s Cemetery.