Rita Alice Blount Talks Different (Red Thunder Bird Woman) 71, of Frazer, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, January 14, 2016 at the Billings Clinic. She fought a long battle to diabetes.
Rita “Baby Girl” was born on November 21, 1944 in Poplar, MT to Clara Red Eagle Blount and George Buck Blount, Sr. She was the youngest of 13 children.
She attended and graduated from Frazer School in 1963 as her class Valedictorian. Rita had several jobs throughout her life ranging from a bus driver, teacher aide, GED instructor, and retired from the Fort Peck Tribes maintenance department. She participated on several boards and committees. She sat on the Frazer Indian Education Committee, Frazer Indian Athletic Association and Frazer School Board. She was the Frazer School Board Chairperson for 3 terms, Frazer Housing Commissioner, Fort Peck Tribal Education Board of Directors and several positions of the Frazer Community Council, just recently resigning last year. She was also a Valley County Election Judge.
Rita was a very kind hearted, gentle, loving, caring, and giving woman. She was always helping others. She loved her daughters and was very proud of each one of their accomplishments. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were treasures that were always kept close to her heart. She loved spending time getting together with her girls, grandchildren and great-grandchildren eating, laughing and taking “selfies”. She loved to laugh and tease. She was always burning one of her daughters or granddaughters with a joke. Her smile was contagious and could light up a room. Although she was in pain, she was always concerned about the comfort of others.
She faithfully attended church at the Cansuska Presbyterian Church in Frazer where she served as an Elder at her church that she loved. She was always making sure to invite her brother, Dean Blount, to all of her dinners. “Call Dean and have him come and eat.” she would say. She also loved her traditional ways. She enjoyed participating in pow-wows, sweats, hand games, and sundances.
She loved her Frazer Bearcubs and would travel all over in any kind of weather to support them. She will be tremendously missed but we rejoice knowing we will see her again.
She is survived by her daughters, Dori, Tisha (Loren), Carrie Sue, Shelly Jeffres (Monte) all of Frazer, Ada “Leonne” of Wolf Point and Secret Ann of Billings; her grandchildren, Tessa (Jed), Michael “Beada” (Sunny), Shelby, Kourtney (Shilo), Steven, Sydney (Keaton), William, Taylor, Dalton, Shaedel, Kelby and Juellz; great-grandchildren, Jaedyn, Reese, Gabriel, BriAnna, Preston, AnaLayna, Aubree, Gemma, Liam and Colten; brother, Harold “Dean” Blount of Frazer, sisters, Arlene Standing of Frazer, and Marietta “Babe” Four Bear of Brockton; adopted daughters, Lonette Black Crow of Harlem, Loni Blount Jones of Frazer and JoBeth Johnston of Frazer; adopted sons, Richard Blount of Wolf Point, Lil’ Joe Raining Bird of Oswego, and Harlan Hall of Heart Butte; adopted sisters, Agnes Johnston of Frazer, Janine Pease of Billings, Josephine Tapaha, Florence Brown, Madonna McConnell all of Wolf Point and Patricia Pipe of Poplar; adopted brother, Simon Looking Elk of Rapid City, South Dakota. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by her father, George Blount Sr.; her mother, Clara Red Eagle Blount; sisters, Marian Blount, Lucille Raining Bird, and Pearl Four Bear; brothers, Wayne Blount, Dennis Blount, Robert Black Dog, Myron Blount and George Blount Jr.; aunts, Katherine Blount, Alice Buck Elk and Rita Belgarde; uncles, Philip Red Eagle, Hank Blount, James Blount, Isaac Blount and Joseph Blount.