Funeral Service:Friday, August 31, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Poplar Cultural Center in Poplar.
Interment: will follow at the Riverview Cemetery in Brockton
Joseph Orville Youpee, age 59, passed away on August 23, 2007 at North Eastern Montana Health Services. He was surrounded by family.
Joe was born on June 1, 1948, in Poplar, Montana, to Lester "Jim" Youpee & Jeanette Cloud Youpee.He married Dani Burshia in Wolf Point, Montana in 1971. Together they had two daughters Dani Jo & Jeanette Lorraine. They later divorced but remained friends.He attended the Job Corp in Ronan, Montana and received his G.E.D. He then joined the U.S. Navy in March of 1967 and was honorably discharged in April of 1970.
He proudly defended his country during the Vietnam Conflict. Never boasting about his tour of duty, only sad memories of all the buddies he met and lost during that senseless war. It wasat this time that he discovered his greatest love, pool. He continued to play the game throughout the last three decades, winning countless championships, jackets, cue stick cases and t-shirts. He played the game with champion pool players including Mike Massey, Roy Goodwill and several others too numerous to mention. He made a lot of friends during this time. Those friendships lasted until he left us. Whether he was playing in T-Bird pool league or just a game he was always surrounded by family, friends and those who just loved to watch him shoot pool.
His paternal grandparents Helen & Joe Brushorn gave him his Dakota name Cante Peta or Fire Heart. Joe descends from the Santee Sioux on his maternal side. On his paternal side he was Minneconju, Yankonai and Basque French (This was where his concept of being a lover and not a fighter came from. Joe was a charmer, he loved the ladies and he was never afraid to tell them all how beautiful they were).
Joe was preceded in death by his daughter Dani Jo Youpee, his mother Jeanette Youpee, brothers Lester Youpee Jr., Gary Youpee, and Thomas David Youpee, paternal grandparents Frank Youpee, Helen Lester and Joe Brushorn, maternal grandparents Moses Cloud and Rebecca Campbell, several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins from both sides of the Youpee and Cloud families.
He is survived by his daughter Jeannette Lorraine, grandsons J-Me, Vern, Lee and Damian, granddaughter Sonja, hisfather Lester "Jim" Youpee, his only living uncle Lloyd Youpee, brothers Robert & Lujuanna Youpee (Karen, Robert Jr., Sopina, Edith, Kelly and Summer), Russell & Jeanne Youpee (Heather), sisters Dolly & Wayne Boyd (Debi, Wayne Jr., Val, Jodie, Machelle, Samson, Waynette and Sharon), Linda Red Boy (Kenny, Colleen, Grace, Kevin, Johnelle, Jamie and John Jr.), Sharon Red Thunder (Sheldon, Calvin Jr., Angeline and Jared), Jeannette Kate Youpee (Raymond and Ira), Millie & Marion Runs Through (Windy, Rocky, Millie and Marion) and Jamie Kay Youpee (Shiloh), niece Valerie Youpee and nephew Leslie Long Hair. He is also survived by his Indian custom adopted brothers Ernie Yuzcapi and Richard Blue Earth.
Smokin' Joe loved the game of pool. In his honor, we will be having a memorial pool tournament at the American Legion Club in Poplar, Montana, in place of a traditional wake. The tournament will be starting at 6:00 p.m. on August 30th. All family and friends are invited as we gather to honor Joe by playing the game he loved and lived for.
Viewing will be on August 30th at 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Clayton Stevenson's Chapel in Poplar, Montana, with services starting at 5:00 p.m. The Reverends of the Boyd Family will be Officiating. Funeral services will be at the Poplar Cultural Center starting at 1:00 p.m. with burial at Riverview Cemetery in Brockton, Montana. Should friends desire, condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.We love you Baby Joe and you will always be in our hearts. Daughter, grandchildren, dad, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews
Service Schedule
Service Schedule
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