Venus Marie 'Ven Bear' Crantz

Venus Marie "Ven Bear" Crantz, 34, of Harlem, Mont., died suddenly from respiratory complications at the Fort Belknap Indian Health Service emergency room.

She was born Sept. 30, 1979, in Fort Belknap, Mont., to John Bearcub Jr. and Veronica (White Cow) Bearcub.

She graduated from Harlem High School in 1998 and attended Fort Belknap College. Venus worked as a CNA at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home in Chinook up until the time of her death.

She met her future husband, Rhett "Speedy" Crantz, while attending high school because he was just her size. They married Sept. 25, 2004, at the Red Whip Center in Fort Belknap. To this union four children were born, Marina, Marley, Mackenzy "Menzy," and her five-month-old son, Maisen; and her two adopted sons, Dane and Devon Dillon.

Ven Bear loved her children and husband as well as her extended family. She loved to "play the machines" and one of her hobbies was teasing people and watching her husband, Speedy, dance Indian.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Veronica Bearcub; and her grandparents, Joe and Josephine Whitecow and Elizabeth Horn and John Bearcub Sr.

She is survived by her husband Rhett "Speedy" Crantz of Harlem, Mont.; her children, Marina, Marley, Menzy and Maisen; also her two adopted sons Dane and Devon Dillon, all of Harlem, Mont.; her father, John (Anne) Bearcub Jr. of Harlem; her brothers, Robert (Dawn) Bear Cub of Harlem, Bill (Mona) Abeita of Box Elder, Robert "Wish Bone" Lodge of Harlem, Leon "Stooge (Dianna) Lodge of Havre, and John Lodge of Harlem; her sisters, Theresa (Matt) Dillon of Harlem, Carolyn Lodge of Fort Belknap, Amanda Lodge and Lisa (Ed) Kulbeck of Harlem, Annette "Netterz" Horn, Blanche Marie Anderson and Mari Blackbird both of Havre; her aunts, Roberta (Bubs) Werk of Hays, Katherine Long Knife and Mary White Cow of Hays, Bernadett (Alfred) Lodge of Harlem, Willowa "Sis" Horn of Fort Belknap, and Margaret Horn of Keiser, Ore.; her uncles, Gilbert "Buddy" (Davie) Horn Jr. of Hays, Curtis (Mona) Horn, Walter (Lisa) Horn, Kermit Horn, Don "Duck" (Fluff) Horn and Charlie (Lorainne) Horn, all of Fort Belknap, and Lonnie "Wayne" (Linda) Herschel of Ardimore, Okla.; and Grandpa Gilbert Horn Sr. of Havre. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The wake will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013, at Sacred Heart Church in Fort Belknap. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, at the Red Whip Center in Fort Belknap. Arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home of Havre.