BERNADINE HEALY, Obituary

FORT BELKNAP Bernadine Healy, 53, a Fort Belknap tribal secretary and bookkeeper for many years, died suddenly Saturday, March 30, 2002, at a Havre hospital of a brain aneurysm.

Wake and rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Red Whip Community Center at Fort Belknap. Funeral Mass will be celebrated

at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Red Whip Community Center with burial following at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery (Pink Church) at Fort Belknap.

Bernadine was born April 27, 1948, to Harry, Jr. and Louise (Gunn) Healy at Fort Belknap.

She graduated from the eighth grade at Paramount, Calif., and graduated from Flandreau Indian Boarding School in 1967 at Flandreau, S.D. She married Calvin Jefferson and lived in California and Texas and returned Fort Belknap in 1972. She worked for Fort Belknap Tribe in finance, procurement, and credit for most of her life.

She enjoyed country music, bowling, bingo, dancing, sewing, and enjoying life.

Survivors include two sons, Jerry Jefferson of Pablo and Ron Tyler Speak Thunder of Fort Belknap; daughter, Nicole Bell of Billings; two grandchildren; sisters, Joann Serda of Big Springs, Texas, and Jolene Sears of Fort Belknap; adopted brother, Larry Gunn of Lodge Pole; adopted sister, Elaine Ereaux of Fort Belknap; uncles, Ray Strike of Seattle, Wash., John R. Strike of Fort Belknap, Edgar Johnson of Fort Belknap, and Duke King of Fort Belknap; aunts, Cathrine Maestas of Butte, Diane Larson or Fort Myers, Fla., Ethel Jackson of Fort Belknap, Ione Healy Jefferson of Lodge Grass, and the Crasco Family; her companion, Ivan Wing of Fort Belknap; biological mother, Bernice Strike Skaggs of Big Springs, Texas; special grandmother, Evelyn Speak Thunder of Fort Belknap, numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by parents, Harry and Louise Healy Jr.; brother, Larry Gunn; grandmother, Mildred Strike; grandfather, Newton Strike; grandparents, Stella and Eugene Gunn; biological father, Manual Huantie.

Adams Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of arrangements.