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 Goods. She was also invited to read for Fury, Transformers 3 and Fast and the Furious 8. With rising attention came a lot of difficulties, and she decided she wanted to be a teenager again.
This led her to meet Devon Shayne RedBoy and two children were born, Daylen Shawn and Nicosia Allen. They later separated, but remained close friends and great co-parents. She then started dating Ezekiel Zimmer whom she remained with until his death in June 2023 which left her heartbroken.
But, with all of life’s challenges, she enjoyed life. She had much love for all that life brought, whether it was coloring or drawing with her children, playing dice, cards or board games with her sisters and friends, to playing football with her brother or visiting to fishing with her family or watching her favorite football team the Green Bay Packers and have to relive the game with her mom.
She is survived by her parents, Sandra Ownspipe (Collins RedDog) and Patrick Ricker; children, Daylen Shawn and Nicosia Allen and their father, Devon Shayne RedBoy; sisters, Cheryl Eagle, Codi and Isabella Jones and Leigh Spotted Bird; brothers, Kokipasni Ownspipe, Kevin Brown and Ken First; and grandparents, Amos Cloud Sr., Marian Miller, Vermae Taylor, Carlene Bird, Steve and Violet Bird and Emerson Ownspipe.
She was preceded in death by brother, Lazarus “Laz” Jones; sister, Emily Brown; and special friend, Ezekiel Zimmer.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment was at St. Ann’s Cemetery in Poplar. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.
