Celinda was born April 20, 1928, in White Horse, SD, to Theophile "T.O." and Lily (Jewett) Traversie. She grew up with eleven brothers and sisters on the old Traversie ranch, located between Timber Lake and Eagle Butte. Celinda was the great-great-granddaughter of Chief War Eagle. Her father was the son of Mary Bruguier (married to Paul Traversie) who descended from Blazing Cloud, who was the daughter of Chief War Eagle. Celinda attended Timber Lake Public Schools (the first Indian family to attend that school), after attempts to force parents to send their children to Cheyenne River Boarding School.

Celinda traveled to most of the 50 states before obtaining her nursing degree from Union College in Lincoln, NE, in 1952. She began her nursing career in 1958 at the Old Cheyenne River Agency Hospital, retiring from nursing in January of 1997, after almost 40 years at the Pine Ridge and Eagle Butte Hospitals. She lived in Eagle Butte at the time of her retirement with her son, Kyle, but shortly afterward, moved to a home near the old ranch where she lived up until the time of her passing at the Eagle Butte I.H.S. Hospital on January 31, 2016.

Celinda enjoyed old western movies and TV shows, country western music and concerts, spending time with her family, especially her grandson, Kason Kyle Traversie, and attending church when she could. She loved the open countryside, and in her younger days, loved to go horseback riding.

Survivors include her son, Kyle Paul (Tracy) Traversie; grandson, Kason Kyle Traversie; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was loved by everyone and will be dearly missed, especially by her son, Kyle.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Theophile and Lily; her brothers, Charles Traversie, Orville Traversie, Theophile Traversie, and Arlis Traversie (died in infancy); sisters, Irene Marshall, Naomi Mountford, Eugenia Iron Mocassin, Delma Traversie, Cyrinthia LeCompte, Violet Rosales, Vivian Sampson, and Georgelyn Sampson; and a grandson, Mason Handboy.

Funeral services for Celinda Rose Traversie, 87, of Eagle Butte, will be Saturday, February 6, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church, Eagle Butte. Meet at the 2-mile Jct. at 4:00 p.m. Friday, to process to the church for wake services beginning at 7:00 p.m. Interment will be at Green Grass Cemetery. Arrangements are with Kinkade Funeral Chapel, Sturgis.

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