Enos Poor Bear, Jr. was born on June 7, 1960, in Pine Ridge, SD to Sophie Salway and Enos Poor Bear, Sr.
Enos made his journey to the Spirit World on January 28, 2025 at the Bennet County Hospital in Martin, SD.
Enos attended school in Martin and Wanblee then later earned his GED. He always loved the drum and began singing at a young age. Then later on he began singing with his brothers, Harold Salway, Lenart and Gerard Brown Eyes and from there they created Lone Eagle Drum Group. He sang all over the United States and Canada with many other drum groups, including Pass Creek, Sons of the Oglala’s, Eagle Mountain, Creekside, IronWood, Porcupine Singers, and Eagle Nest. Enos was always by his dad’s side and helped complete his vision for recognition of the Battle of Little Big Horn Battlefield Memorial Site. He was instrumental in the continuing honoring’s annually in Montana. He worked to share our language and culture and was a Cultural Specialist and Interpreter for several National Parks including, the Rockyford Visitor Center, Wind Cave National Park and many others. Enos was also an activist at heart, and a strong supporter of the American Indian Movement. He was a Tokala and Eyapaha for the DAPL movement at Standing Rock and he was also a member of the Oceti Sakowin Treaty Defenders and International Indigenous Treaty Council. He was well known for his singing voice and was invited to many dinners and honorings as well as a supporter of our brothers behind bars. He sang at local community basketball games, events and special occasions for his children and relatives.
Enos is survived by his “special friend” Ursula Brown Eyes; children: Enos Poor Bear, III, Andrew &, Stella (Oscar) Poor Bear, Gene (Tina), Felicia Brown Eyes, Darla (Clarence) Allen, and Lang (Chelsi) Brown Eyes; grandchildren, Oscar Benitez, III, Deandre, Dawson, Dreyton & Shoni Standing Bear, Ashton, Darien, Alexis, Audrina Karns & Li’Leigh Olson, Byron & AuRylee Brown Eyes, and Akeem Standing Bear, all of Martin, SD; siblings, Willardene (Rodney-deceased) Lewis (Sacaton, AZ)(Katherine, Stephen & John Lewis), James (Francine) Red Willow (Wanblee, SD)(Charla, Percetta & Pauletta Red Willow), Harold Salway of Rapid City, SD, (Tyrel, Sharla, Cassie & Harold,Jr. Salway), Alex Salway of Martin, SD (Alexandria & Amber Salway), Marlene of Rapid City, SD (Kayla Poor Bear & David Pauly), Freida Poor Bear of Rapid City, SD (Thomas, Darcie, Iris, Courtney & Heather), Michelle Poor Bear of Martin, SD (Amy & Lisa Garcia, & Shauna Salway-Bolzer), and Ben Black Elk of Pine Ridge, SD; nieces, Renita, Shannon, Babe and Evangeline Poor Bear; and nephews, James Colhoff, Sean Poor Bear, Charles Poor Bear, Charles Herrald, Howard Burritt, and Christopher Bettelyoun. Enos is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, hunka family, and kolas that he deeply cherished and thought the world of him.
Enos was preceded in death by his father, Enos Poor Bear Sr; mother, Sophie Salway; son, Jody DuBray; siblings, Enos Poor Bear, Evangeline Poor Bear, Lavern Three Stars, Webster Poor Bear, Alvin Salway, Thomas Poor Bear, and Mariellen Ritts.
Pallbearers are Deandre Standing Bear, Todd O’Bryan, Steve Hernandez, Duane Lafferty, Scott Hicks, Carl Standing Bear, Stephen Lewis, and Ernest Red Elk.
Honorary Pallbearers are Gerard & Lenart Brown Eyes & Families, Orville Milk & Family, Jonathan Bad Wound, Sr. & Family, Jerry Richards, Iris, Tanya, Lynn & Curtis Hernandez & Families, Danetta Mousseaux & Family, Daverine Shangreaux & Family, Family of the late Aunt Winona Cottier, Cheryl, Rhonda & Elton Three Stars & Families, Cuny Dog & Family, Pat, Gene & Ike Standing Bear & Families, Kermit Randall, Sam Dubray & Family, Manuel Fool Head, Mary Rose Dillon & Family, Illa Lone Hill & Family, Mary Poor Thunder & Family, Craig Dillon & Family, Wilma Colhoff & Family, Eugene ‘Popcorn’ Tyon, Bill Means, Brother Moves Camp, Romero Tiwahe (Wanbli Hohpi Oyanke), Quiver Tiwahe, Norman Rodgers Family, Red Kettle Families, Pumpkin Seeds Family, Sitting Up Tiospaye, Zimiga Family, Mary Fern & Family, Scott Bair & Family, Steve Claussen & Girls, Molly Risse, Stuart & Cally Drobny, Family of the late Pearl Cottier, JD & JoAnn Flye, Family of Loretta Witt, Family of the late Ozzy Bettelyoun, Tom Casey, Marlene Brave Heart & Family, Norma Rendon & Family, Dave Gotheridge & Family, Cora Whitehorse, Mason Big Crow, Bat Pourier, Jeff Siscoe & Family, John Poff & Family, Anthony Wounded Head, Sr. & Family, Kermit Salway & Family, Philip Good Crow & Family, Boy Winters, Colleen Bettelyoun, Donnie Pourier & Family, Paul Valandra & Family, Pass Creek Singers, Son’s of the Oglalas, Porcupine Singers, Eagle Nest Singers, Lone Eagle Singers, Red Willow Family, Randall Family, High Horse Family, Moves Camp Family, Standing Soldier Family, Clifford Family, Wilcox Family, Art Ruff, DuBray Family, Iron Cloud Family, Darrel “Bitsy” Trueblood, Monica Terkildsen & Family, Romero Family, Jeremy Jacobs, O’Bryan Contracting & Lacreek Development Doug & Chris O’Bryan & Families, Sod’s Mechanical-Kenny Soderlin & Family, Butch’s Heating & Cooling-Butch Ceplecha & Family; OST Parks & Recreation, Battle of the Little Bighorn Monument Staff, East Wind Casino, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rockyford Visitors Staff, National Park Services, and All Friends & Relatives.
Wake Services: One night wake service starting at 1:00 PM, Friday, February 7, 2025 at the New American Legion in Martin, SD with Traditional Lakota Evening Services starting at 7:00 PM with slide show to follow.
Funeral Services: 11:00 AM, Saturday, February 8, 2025 at the New American Legion in Martin, SD.
Traditional Lakota Services: Richard Moves Camp
Drum Group: Eagle Nest Singers & All Drum Groups Welcome
Burial Services: Grace Episcopal Cemetery, Martin, SD
Arrangements entrusted with the Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge, SD