Bernadine Shoulderblade, age 24, of Lame Deer

Bernadine Joseph “BJ Bear” Shoulderblade, Cheyenne name “Nahkohtsevo’soo’estse” made his journey to Mah’eo on September 9, 2020. He is named after his late great-grandfather Ben Blackwolf, which translates to “Playing Bear.” Bernadine (Spanky) Shoulderblade Jr., & Valentine Whiteman were blessed with their second son, “BJ Bear” born on October 16, 1995 in Crow Agency, MT. He grew up in the Lame Deer area attending school in Lame Deer & graduated from the 8th grade, then received his GED from Chief Dull Knife College.
BJ worked various jobs at the Lame Deer IGA, Cheyenne Depot 1 & Ashland Sawmill as a laborer. BJ was a very considerate wood vendor & enjoyed cutting wood, selling to those in need in the wintertime.
His hobbies included: hunting, fishing, cutting & logging trees. He loved spending time with his son most of all, his pride & joy. BJ enjoyed cruising the hills on his truck, splashing through mud & water holes with him. He taught his son how to ride his bike & many other amazing life lessons for the short time his son was by his side. He liked fixing model cars with his boys & playing video games. BJ loved to grocery shop, making sure his boys always had snacks, while spending time with them. Evening times were reserved for playing basketball on Sweet Medicine Courts with his siblings, toughing up his baby sister Pam. BJ expressed his Cheyenne side the best way he knew how by singing with all his heart with his grandpa & uncle Pascal.
He met the love of his life, Ciana Braidedhair on April 28, 2012. The highlight of his life was on July 29th, 2014 when he became a father to his only son Lazaynn Shoulderblade, whom he loved dearly. That is when his life changed for the better & he wanted to become the best dad for his baby boy. They had a bond that couldn’t be broken.
BJ took great pride in Cheyenne ways, never boasting but always keeping it real. He had tremendous respect for his elders. He always admired his grandma’s faith and her love for God. His great grandpa Wesley Whiteman was the Last of the Contrary, his grandma Vicki Wounded was a descendent of the Chief Crazy Horse & on his Shoulderblade/Blackwolf side, various family members were keepers of the Sacred Hat & he honored that. In his younger years, BJ loved going to Sunday School with his grandma Vicki, who he sure missed a lot. BJ was a quiet man but he loved teasing & laughing around with his cousins; his laugh was one of a kind!
Preceded in death was his grandparents, Bernadine Sr. & Geraldine (Bigback) Shoulderblade, Great grandparents, Wendell “Turkey” & Ruth (Blackwolf) Shoulderblade, William Wounded and Cora Ownsthefire, Fern, Claudia & Magoo Shoulderblade, Wendeline Neiss, Wendell Shoulderblade Jr., Robert Bigback Sr. & Gladys Hadley, Vicki Wounded & Frank Whiteman Jr., Marie Bigback Brady. Aunts, Pamela & Berdine Shoulderblade & Anita and Julia Faye Whiteman. Uncles, Franklin Whiteman Sr., Dustin Two Moons Sr. & cousin Dana Shoulderblade.
BJ is survived by his son Lazaynn, parents Spanky & Valentine, his sister, Pamela (Bubbz) & his brothers, Anthony & Verael Shoulderblade & his companion, Ciana Braidedhair. His cousins, Tiffany, Tonelle, Telena, Shiela, Lavondy, Candice, Violet, Arissa, Bethany, Mandy (Franique), Delmarie & Brittany, Lakeisha, Latrina, Sharane, Irena, Genna Byron, R.C. Brady, Derek, Deitrich, Donnie, Dyron Shoulderblade, Vinny, Isaiah, Cole, John & Zachary KHG, Zachariah, Travis, Alvin, Sammy D, and Cordero Whiteman. His grandparents, Don (Ruthie), Wilma (Tini), Mary & Marcelline Shoulderblade, Ron (Cindy), Larry, Gordan, Leslie, Roberta & Gail Bigback. His aunts, Serena, Starla, Renecia, & Halona Shoulderblade, Reanna Two Moons, Candy Red Cloud, Janis, Francine, Dana & Rennie Whiteman Pena. nephew, Antwaun Shoulderblade; His uncles, Alan (Becky) Blackwolf, Frank (Zenaida) Whiteman, Lawrence & Clayton (Leslie) Neiss, Keith, Thomas, Hadley, Clint, Pascal & Wendell Shoulderblade III & Austin Two Moons III & Cleve LaFranier.
BJ Bear came from a large extended family on both sides: Shoulderblades, Blackwolfs, Lightning, Whityedirt, Whitewolf, Spotted Elk, Two Two, Littlewhirlwind, Rowland, Lonebear, Yellowfox, Harris, Walkslasts, Woodenlegs, Bigbacks, Whitemans, Red Feathers and Wounded families of South Dakota. We apologize if we missed anyone in our time of grief.
A special thank you to the Northern Cheyenne EMS, Search and Rescue and Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home.

Service Schedule

Graveside Service

10:00 AM

Tuesday September 15, 2020

Allison Bixby Memorial Gardens

Lame Deer, Montana 59043

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