Rev. Norman Blue Coat, 80, of On The Tree, SD, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on November 21, 2015, at St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29th, with prayer services at 7:00 p.m., MST, at the Eagle Butte UCC Church.

Funeral services will be held at 9:00 a.m., MST, Monday, November 30, 2015, at the church. Burial, with full military honors, will be at 3:00 p.m. Monday at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Norman Paul Blue Coat was born January 14, 1935, at Cheyenne Agency, SD, to Thomas and Mary (Mann) Blue Coat. His biological mother died when he was seven years old. He shared his early life with 3 brothers, Homer, Joe Milo, and Severt. He was raised and educated in the Eagle Butte area, attending school at Old Agency and Brainerd Indian School near Hot Springs.

Norman served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict from 1954 to 1957, serving first in Guam and then Korea before returning home. He was very proud of his service to his country.

He married Regina Gray Eagle from Bullhead, SD, on December 7, 1962. Norman worked in fencing and construction for most of his early years. He worked as a custodian for the B.I.A. School in Eagle Butte for a number of years, later working for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe for the cattle program and also taking care of the buffalo.

Norman's happiest days were spent ministering to the people on many of the South Dakota Native American Reservations, but primarily the Cheyenne River and the Standing Rock Nations. He started out as an Episcopal Lay reader in 1963, and after taking exams and much study, became an ordained deacon in 1989. During this time, he adopted a son, Louis, named after his grandpa, and a daughter, Mary, named after his biological mother. The family lived in Isabel for a few years before getting a scattered site 12 miles north of Isabel where they remained for many years. He was a rodeo stock provider as well as an active Deacon in the Episcopal Church and a great supporter of Youth Ministries and inter-church relations, bringing youth onto the reservation from other states and taking youth and young adults to Thunderhead Episcopal Church Camp and Klein Ranch, south of McIntosh, SD. Norman transferred to the UCC Church in 1991, after having some conflicts with the priest in charge of the area. From there, people called on Pastor Blue Coat and he answered, doing hundreds of funeral, wakes, weddings, comfort services, baptism's, and confirmations throughout his many years of tirelessly working for the church, sharing his faith and his love of Christ, and by living example. Norman was always willing to lend a hand wherever needed, often giving above and beyond what he truly had to give. He will be deeply missed and forever loved. There will be a deep hole in our hearts and a big empty spot that no shoes can fill.

Norman loved his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and they in turn loved him back. He leaves his wife of 53 years, Regina Blue Coat; son, Louis; daughters, Mary Rose and Crystal Gayle; Mary's children, Austin, Jordyn, Jazmyn, and Jaclyn; brother, Joe Blue Coat; 4 great-grandchildren; and other extended family and a host of friends.

Norman was preceded in death by numerous brothers and sisters and a great grandson, Jastin "Ian" Blue Coat.