Services for 62-year old Mary Ann Cedar Face are Sat, Dec 18, 2021 at 1:00 at Joyner Hall in Pine Ridge, SD, with Pastor Stanley Hollow Horn and Deacon Reverend Twyla Two Bulls officiating and traditional Lakota services by Mr Albino Garcia Jr.
Burial is at the Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery in Red Shirt Table, SD
A one-night wake service starts Friday, Dec 17, at 1:00 PM, also at Joyner Hall in Pine Ridge.
Mary Ann Cedar Face was born on June 11, 1959 in Scottsbluff, NE to Paul L. Cedar Face Sr. and Edith (Red Shirt) Cedar Face. Mary made her journey to the Spirit World on December 6, 2021 at the IHS hospital in Pine Ridge, SD.
Mary was a loving, easy going person with a big heart. She enjoyed her life, as a mother, sister, auntie, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was always socializing with friends and family, laughing and joking. She enjoyed watching the game channel, she enjoyed puzzles and her word search. She cherished her family and friends.
Mary attended and graduated from Pine Ridge High School Class of 1978. After graduating from high school she attended Oglala Lakota Police Academy. She worked in several districts and communities. Mary continued her higher education at Oglala Lakota College in the area of counseling. She received her AA degree in Social Services and Counseling.
Mary worked for the Aberdeen area Tribal Chairman’s health board, Healthy Start program, as an out-reach worker. The program was to inform pregnant mothers of at-risk pregnancy, research and data related to infant mortality rates and working pregnant women on the Pine Ridge reservation. The program came to an end with no funding to continue services and Mary closed it out with the Aberdeen area Tribal Chairman’s health board.Â
Mary was employed at the Flowering Tree program, another needed program that understands the history of trauma for indigenous women. The program was critical for the violence and abuse prevention of native women on the reservations, not only Pine Ridge but other native communities and reservations.
She worked for the Oglala Sioux Tribes and Oyata Bilhelya Diabetes program as an out-reach worker. The focus was prevention and awareness of diabetes. Her last place of employment was the OST Housing Authority, where she was a (TSR) Tenant service representative. Mary worked in most of the Pine Ridge reservation districts and communities. Although she enjoyed her job, she was trying to keep her diabetes under control and decided to retire to take care of her health.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Meredith (Jane) Sahme; sisters, Clara (Curtis) Cedar Face, Frances Cedar Face; brothers, Paul T. Cedar Face II, Fred (Gail) Cedar Face; nieces & nephews, Monica Cortez, Pamela (Penny) End of Horn, Roxiene (Toni) Morton, Cody Morton, Casey Morton, Paul W. Cedar Face III, Skeena Cedar Face, Garcia, Sarah Cedar Face, Jessica Cedar Face, Cheryl Cedar Face, Byrd, Annie Cedar Face, Valandra, Clarissa Cedar Face, Jack, and Mark Cedar Face; 25 grandchildren; and 11 great- grandchildren.
Mary was preceded in death by her son, Kelly Vernon Cedar Face; husband, Jim Sahme; parents, Paul L. Cedar Face Sr. and Edith (Red Shirt) Cedar Face; nieces, Stacy Cedar Face and DeAnn Blue Bird; sister/brother-in-law, Karen (Cedar Face) & Tom Morton.
Pallbearers will be Santana Martin, Jakoby Martin, Cody Morton, Casey Morton, and Vaughn Stands.
Honorary pallbearers will be Pine Ridge High School Class 1978, auntie Suzanna ‘Buffalo’ Swallow & family, Grandma Josephine Bissonette, Fast Wolf & family, MJ McDermott, Cedar Face, Tish Piper, IHS-FH nurse & family, Florence Plenty Holes IHS nurse & family, Suzette Thunder Hawk & family, Barbara & Delmarie Dull Knife & family, Jane Romero, Wendy Backs, Letoy Eagle Bull, Diane Little Hawk & family, Freda Richards-Patton & family, Vicki Wince, Mathew Shoulders, Weasel Bear (sisters) Darlene, Karen and Mary & family, Shelly Two Bulls & Ellaveigh Sahme, Red Feather (sisters) Miranda, Mariette, Debbie, Jolene, Roberta, Lisa & family, Jo Ann Sierra & family, Ashley & Kylie Cedar Face & family, Dante Martin, Richie Toledo, Diamond & Sapphire Yankton, Reginald, James, Ruth, Becky Cedar Face & family, Thelma Mesteth & family, Hokshila, Racheal and Dakota Mesteth & family, John Cedar Face & family, Verine Cedar Face, White & family, Charlene Shoulders & family, Lisa Dixon & family, Cissy Kills Small & family, Corrine Brave & family, Ben Black Elk & family, Darla Black & family OglaSa Wi Wanyang Wacipi, Wasu kasna Wi wanyang wacipi, and All Friends & Relatives.
Arrangements entrusted with Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge, SD