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.

Scobey George Baker Jr. “Scobey John,” 12, of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of Montana went home to be with our Creator on Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Evanston, Wyo., from a traffic accident. Tatanka Hoksina (Buffalo Boy), named because he belongs to the Tatanka Oyate. From the beginning, we knew he was special. He was so full of life and made an impact on everyone that crossed his path. He loved everyone. He always shook hands and referred to everyone as his relatives. You were either, mom, dad, grandpa, auntie, uncle, sister or brother. From birth, Scobey John lived a traditional way of life. At three months old, he started attending Inipi with his grandpa William. His Inipi family called him a little sweat piglet. He danced in Paradise with Crow Dog, most recently he danced alongside his Growing Thunder family and Wahacanka Ska Wiyang Wacipi and in South Dakota at Wasu Kasna Sundance. Since he was just a couple months old, he was a true Poplar Indian fan; he was his sister’s and brother’s #1 supporter. He was entering into 6th grade at Poplar Middle School where he advocated to better display the United States, Tribal and Montana flags. Scobey John’s dream was to be a powwow announcer, a head man dancer and bring in the Eagle Staff. Scobey John also participated in cross-country and basketball as a Poplar Indian. Scobey John has been dancing at powwows since he was old enough to walk. He first started dancing with his papa William. Soon, he hit the powwow trail with his mom and dad, Jen and Gib and his siblings where he danced alongside his sister Gillian. He Ate, Daryl Growing Thunder gifted him his first wapecha. Throughout his travels, he gained numerous family and friends who he loved and prayed for. He loved to sing whether it was sundance, powwow and peyote songs — you could always hear him singing. Scobey John was an Indigeneer, if you ever drove by his house, you would see him putting up flags or tipis or buildings sweats and making an eagle staff. He could do this out of anything he could find. Scobey John enjoyed life to its fullest. Scobey John was truly a gift from our Creator, bringing his own beautiful light into this world. He left a lasting impression upon everyone he met an those who witnessed him dancing or heard him singing. Scobey John is survived by his paternal great-grandmother, Faye McGrath; his paternal grandmother, Nadine McClammy; and his moms; Jennifer Medicine Cloud, Kai Teague and Kelly Baker Aune; his dad, Gib Medicine Cloud; his sisters, Vivan Baker, Gillian Medicine Cloud, Gracelyn Medicine Cloud and Taizha Larae WhiteHorse; his brothers, Cade Baker, Davis Cravens, Geordy Medicine Cloud, Christopher Justin Fox Jr. and Deacon Desmond WhiteHorse; his uncle, Vaughn Dix (Helen); and his extended adoptive family, mom Esley Sherman, Ina Ramey Growing Thunder, Ate Daryl Growing Thunder; brothers, Delray Lilley, Inya Growing Thunder, Wambdi Growing Thunder and Cetan Growing Thunder, Keenan Sherman; and sisters, Lauren Crawford, Alex Crawford and Isabella Crawford, Leena Sherman; and his many relatives including the Yellow Hawk, Nation, Baker, Shawl, Lambert, Medicine Cloud, Jackson, Escarcega and Reddog families. Scobey John was preceded in death by his mom, Diane Lambert; his father, Scobey George Baker Sr.; his paternal grandfather, William Baker; and maternal grandmother, Tiffani Reddog. Mitakuye Oyasin - All my relatives. 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)