Robert “Bobby” James Small o-sah-ow-pi-ye-so “ Yellow Bird” o-sah-ow-pi-s-to

Robert “Bobby” James Small o-sah-ow-pi-ye-so “ Yellow Bird” o-sah-ow-pi-s-to-so “Yellow Whirl Wind” obituary

Robert “Bobby” James Small, 55, died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, at his home in Rocky Boy.

His cause of death has not yet been determined. His wake service will begin Thursday at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church with the funeral service 10 a.m. Friday at the Rocky Boy High School gymnasium. Burial will follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Robert was born Jan. 18, 1954, in Havre, Mont., to Andrew and Dorothy (Sunchild) Small. He was raised and educated in Rocky Boy and graduated from Box Elder High School. He attended Northern Montana College and received his bachelor's degree in physical education with a minor in history and social science. He then attended MSU- Bozeman and obtained his master's degree in education. Robert dedicated his life to his passion for teaching children. He began his career at Northern Montana College working as a recruit and performing other coaching duties. He worked for Brockton High School, Box Elder High School, Harlem High School, Rocky Boy High School and Heart Butte High School, where he educated students and also coached basketball. He then took a position at Stone Child College where he served as the dean of academics and worked on curriculum development. He also worked at the Boys & Girls Club in Rocky Boy. He married Mary Wolfchild on June 30, 2001, in Rocky Boy where they lived and raised their family. Robert enjoyed fishing, watching his kids play sports, watching all kinds of sporting activities on television especially the Denver Broncos, MSU Bobcats and the L.A. Dodgers, hunting, softball and coaching his sons in baseball. He especially enjoyed being with his family. He was preceded in death by his father, Andrew Small Sr .; one son, Ryan Small; and grandmother, Fanny Oats Sunchild. Robert is survived by his two daughters from a previous marriage, Ashley Small of Havre, Mont .; and Jenny (Donald) Small of Rocky Boy, Mont .; his wife, Mary Small; daughter, Kiara Small; sons,Todd, Kolie and Kordell Small and Christopher Wolf Chief; his mother, Dorothy Sunchild Small all of Rocky Boy, Mont .; sister: Delphine (Mike) Sangrey; Brother: Andrew Small Jr .; aunts: Irene Mitchell, Zellah Sunchild Nault and Helen Sunchild Parker and his uncle, Bruce Sunchild, all of Rocky Boy, Mont. And two grandchildren, Brayden and Kirsten LaMere both of Rocky Boy, Mont.