Ksiskstakipitaaki (Beaver Old Woman)

Mrs. Mary Rose Many Fingers beloved wife of Herbert Many Fingers passed away peacefully with her loving husband, family and friends by her side at the Chinook Regional Hospital on Tuesday March 11, 2008 at the age of 62 years.

Mary Rose was born on June 18, 1945 on the Blood Reserve to the late Christopher (Buster) and Eva Mills. She was raised in the Bullhorn area along with her 15 siblings.

Mary Rose met the love of her life Herbert Many Fingers in 1960 at the Cardston Rodeo. They were married on December 8, 1962 at the Levern Catholic Church, on the Blood Reserve.

Mary Rose spent her early years at the St. Mary's Indian Residential School. Her education also included the Henderson Business College and the University of Lethbridge. She was employed from 1979 to 2005 with various Blood Tribe departments such as; the Blood Indian Hospital, Blood Tribe Administration, Blood Tribe Housing, Blood Tribe Dept. of Health (Health Unit), Blood Tribe Public Works, Blood Tribe Social Development, Blood Tribe Protection Services and retired at Kainaiwa Children's Services Corporation.

Mary Rose was very proud of her children in their many achievements; sports, education, careers and hobbies. She taught them to respect and care for people, especially the elders and to practice their faith. She always encouraged her family to pray the rosary and to attend church as much as possible. Her kindness, generosity, and self respect were passed on to her children and grandchildren.

Mary Rose loved to travel, camp and organize family barbeques, dinners and birthdays. Her many trips brought her to various places such as; Vancouver, Ottawa, Regina, Lac St Anne Annual Pilgrimage, Lac La Biche. Her last trip was to St Eugene Mission in Cranbrook, B.C. with her daughter and granddaughter Jody and Shanoah.

Mary Rose made her Cursillo in 1984 and she worked in most areas of the Cursillo but the last one was her most memorable as a spiritual advisor.

Whenever anyone needed help she was there to give advice or whatever was asked of her. She would never turn anyone away. People knew Mary Rose to have a great sense of humour and kind words for everyone she knew and loved.

She especially enjoyed sharing stories of her life with her grandchildren and children many of them were always humorous making everyone laugh together.

In their forty five years of marriage together they raised their five beautiful children Scotty (Lenora), Richard, Danny (Penny), Jody (Dwayne), Jolayne (Arnold), sixteen grandchildren; Blair, Nicholas (Nitasha), Luke, Paige, Brad, Darryl (Elaina), Willie (Rhonda), Casey, Tera, baby girl, Stormy, Kyle, Shanoah, Tawnya, Brendan, Aniel, eight great grandchildren; Latoya, Nate, Tyleah, Nikesha, Aliya, Tenelle, Violet and one on the way. 

She is survived by her loving sisters Teresa (Irwin) Melting Tallow, Liza Mills, Evelyn (Andrew) Wells; brothers Franco Mills, Delbert Mills, Randy (Doreen) Mills, Ivory (Donna) Mills and Edward Mills; aunties Emma Red Gun, Isabelle Spear Chief and Lena Brown Chief Calf Great Aunt Margaret Hind Man in laws Mr. & Mrs. Leslie (Punch) Tail Feathers, Mr. & Mrs. Don Shade, Mr. & Mrs. Burton Many Fingers, Mr. & Mrs. Mike Sigurdur, Mildred Melting Tallow and Rosanne Many Fingers. Adopted children Jim Plume, Deanna Many Fingers, Lamont Healy, Cheryl Healy, Joni Healy, Troy Emery Twigg, Leslie Tallow, Debbie Rose Day Chief, Kenny Gravelle, Tanya Gravelle, Connie Fox & Lorna Day Chief. Her adopted grandchildren; Jaden, Jada & Jayna Creighton Fox, Trisha Many Fingers, C.J. Wells, Jade Mills, Tex Mills, Tylisha Wells, Nolan Shade, Gillian Wolf Plume, Haley and Cammi Tallow and Paloma Hoof. Special friends; Christina Fox, Katie Rabbit -Young Pine & Shirley Healy. God children  Todd Many Fingers & Mitchel Neal Many Fingers Families and relatives No Runners, Good Riders, Spear Chiefs, Eagle Tail Feathers, Brewers, A Young Mans, Weasel Child, Red Crows, Okas and Gladstones also her numerous nieces and nephews she took as her own.

Mary Rose was predeceased by her daughter Jolaine at birth, her parents Christopher (Buster) & Eva Mills her maternal grandparents Charlie and Julia Good Rider her paternal grandparents Harry & Edith Mills her sisters Loretta, Gloria, Virginia, Rose Mary and Edith her brothers Christopher and Richard Mills, mother and father in law Albert and Margaret Many Fingers, Albert Jr., Gordon, Andy, C.M Tallow and Gordon Heavy Shields.  The family wishes to apologize for any one they have missed.

A Wake Service will be held at ST. MARTHA'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 355 Columbia Blvd West, Lethbridge on Monday, March 17, 2008 from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

A Funeral Mass will be held at ST. MARTHA'S CATHOLIC CHURCH on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. with Reverend Dennis McDonald Celebrant.

Interment to follow at the Pioneer Cemetery, Blood Reserve.