January 11, 1969 – June 21, 2024
Mass of Christian Burial for Robbi Birkeland, 55, of Dupree will be at 10 a.m., Monday, July 1, 2024 at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake. Burial will be at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Cemetery in White Horse under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. A prayer service will be at 6 p.m. Sunday at the church. Robbi passed away Friday, June 21, 2024, at her daughter’s home in Center, ND.
Robbi Marie (White Eyes) Birkeland passed away on June 21, 2024 after a courageous and hard fought battle with cancer. She was born on January 11, 1969 to Ansel White Eyes and Peggy (Lawrence) White Eyes in Eagle Butte. Robbi was lucky enough to have grown up in a few different areas that she always liked to talk about such as Mankato, MN and Phoenix, AZ. However, she was primarily raised in the Timber Lake/White Horse area. Robbi grew up loving and learning from her family and was able to make a lot of memories with her cousins down at Grandpa and Grandma Lawrence’s, and taking care of her brothers at Grandma Pauline’s. Robbi graduated from Timber Lake High School in 1987.
In June of 1987, her miracle babies were born, Randee Kay and Brandee Marie. The twins were 13 weeks premature and weighed only 1 pound 15 ounces each. With the help of faith, family and friends, Randee and Brandee were able to pull through and didn’t cause her any more stress after that.
Robbi was united in marriage to Ramon Birkeland on November 17, 2000. To this union two children were born, Bailee Ray and Clifton Gary. As the herd grew, great memories were made. Robbi loved traveling to all of the kids’ sporting events, supporting, and cheering them on with great energy.
Robbi’s employment over the years included working as a Benefit Specialist for the S.D. Department of Social Services and as an Administrative Assistant at Cheyenne Eagle Butte School. However, her ultimate career began on February 18, 2013 when her first grandchild was born. Being a grandmother was Robbi’s passion. She was blessed to be a grandma to eight beautiful grandchildren. They were her world.
Robbi’s hobbies, outside of taking care of the cows with Ramon, included playing golf with her cousins for the Life Is Good League, playing card games such as canasta and golf with her cousins and the “Granties,” playing 3 card poker in Deadwood, shopping on Amazon for her grandkids, traveling to the Black Hills with her kids for different adventures, and simply watching a movie with her daughters. Robbi also enjoyed taking pictures, especially of beautiful scenery at the ranch, her kids and grandkids at their sporting events, and of fun, loving moments at family gatherings and holidays.
Robbi is survived by her husband of 23 years, Ramon; her children, Randee (Ryan) Murnion, Brandee (Bradley) Sayler, Bailee Birkeland (Drew Bercier) and Clifton Birkeland; her grandchildren, Teigyn, Levi, Logyn, Hays, Paxtyn, Rory and Loxlee; brothers Jayme (Jayci) White Eyes, Lonny White Eyes, Jarret Lawrence, and Kenny White Eyes; sister, Shelley (Chad) Harstad; fatherin- law, Gary Birkeland; sister-in-law, Kelly (Kevin) Keegan, brother-in-law, Jay Birkeland, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Robbi is preceded in death by her mother, Peggy Lawrence, father, Ansel White Eyes, infant twin sisters, mother-in-law, Sonja Birkeland, grandparents on both paternal and maternal sides and granddaughter, Leah Jane Sayler.