December 20, 1953 – April 12, 2026________________
Catherine Jane Yellow Hawk, 72, of Eagle Butte passed away April 12, 2026, at her home.
Funeral services were held April 20 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Eagle Butte. Burial was in St. Paul’s Episcopal Cemetery at LaPlant.
Catherine was born December 20, 1953 at Old Cheyenne Agency to Kenneth West Sr. and Vivian (Red Fox) Traversie. She was raised by her mother, Vivian, and her stepfather, Theodore Traversie.
Catherine began her education at Cheyenne Agency. In 1959, the agency was flooded, and all families were relocated to Eagle Butte, where she continued her schooling at Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School. She later attended boarding school at St. Joseph’s Indian School and completed all four years of high school at St. Mary’s School for Indian Girls in Springfield, graduating in 1972. She attended Black Hills State University and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. She also attended law school at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.
In 1972, while living in Rapid City, Catherine experienced the great flood and was fortunate to survive. In 1974, she moved to Los Angeles, where she married and had five children: Mary Elizabeth, Eve, Luzanna, Hector, and Moses Soto. She later welcomed two additional children, George Felton and Otis Felton, Jr.
Upon returning to South Dakota, Catherine held several jobs in the Pierre area. On October 18, 2021, she married Joseph Holy Bear Jr. Due to diabetes and other health complications, she began dialysis in 2024.
She was a devoted fan of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Catherine is survived by her husband, Joseph Holy Bear Jr.; children: Mary Elizabeth, Eve, Luzanna, and Hector Soto Jr., and Otis Felton Jr.; grandson George Felton Jr.; sisters: Wanda Lind and Carol, Mary Ellen, and Connie Mae Traversie, all of Eagle Butte, and Sophia (Mark) Perttula of Sioux City, IA and Mary (Mike) Miner of Sioux Falls; brothers: William. T. Carter of Rapid City, Clayton E. Carter of Cortez, CO, Michael Red Fox of Rapid City, Loren and Gerald Traversie of Eagle Butte, Jess (Peggy) West of Crown Point, NM and Kenneth (Linda) West, Jr. of Eagle Butte.
She was preceded in death by her parents,Theodore and Vivian Traversie; biological father, Kenneth West, Sr.; grandparents Frank Logg and Jennie (White Eyes) Logg; children George Felton and Moses Soto; sisters Cindy Lou and Ruth Ann Traversie; and brother Bernard Carter.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg was in charge of arrangements.