By HDN Staff
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- Doryce "Buggs" Helen Desjarlais, 72, died Saturday, Jan. 15, 2000, at a Coeur d'Alene care center.
Visitation will be held 4 to 8 p.m. today at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d'Alene Chapel. Funeral services will be held 3 p.m. Wednesday at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d'Alene with Father Tom Connelly officiating.
Desjarlais was born Oct. 26, 1927, in Browning to Ed and Anna Collins. She grew up between Browning and Rocky Boy. She was an enrolled tribal member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. She graduated from Flandreau High School in South Dakota, being the first female of her tribe to do so. She attended Chemewa Indian School in Oregon and worked in several government positions.
She married John Desjarlais.
She resided in Spokane, Wash., from 1973 to 1977.
She enjoyed storytelling, visiting and spending time with her children and Indian relatives.
She was preceded in death by her husband.
Survivors include sons, Grinelle "Buzz" Desjarlais of Spokane, Wash., and Pat and Anthony Desjarlais of Post Falls, Idaho; daughters, Gwen Hill of Sisseton, S.D., Leona Flowers of Hood River, Ore., and Jessie Desjarlais and Dee Dee Whitt of Spokane, Wash.; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, nieces and nephews.
Memorials are suggested to the NATIVE Project of Spokane, 1803 W. Maxwell Ave., Spokane, WA, 99201.
Yates Funeral Home of Coeur d'Alene is in charge of arrangements.
