Lee Willis Packineau was born in Poplar, MT on January 14, 1942 to Anna Follet and Richard Wilson Packineau. His Nakota name is White Feather “Wiyaga Ska’”. He grew up on both the Fort Peck Reservation with his grandma Lena Bear Skin and on the Fort Berthold Reservation with his grandma Corn Stalk. Upon his high school graduation, he volunteered for the United States air Force and a Vietnam War combat veteran. Returning home from Vietnam, he traveled everywhere by freight, hitching and every means available to him and buddies making memories and having fun.
Willis fought and rode bulls and was a guitar player with the Red Country band. He was a champion grass dancer known throughout Indian Country in his younger days. In his older years he was champion of Triple Aces and well known at Lucky Lil’s and other casinos.
He was raised in the Wicohan (tribal) religion and was a Sun Dancer participating in Sun Dances and Medicine Lodges throughout the north. He was a traditional man and highly respected the ways of his ancestors and his religion. He was a quiet man but highly knowledgeable of the ways of his grandparents and the Nakota and Mandan Nations.
He worked in California and Texas, as an auto body man. He owned the L & L Body Shop in Wolf Point for several years. He worked for Fort Berthold Three Affiliated Tribes Housing doing construction. In 1993, he was hurt on the job in an accident and became fully disabled unable to do any physical work. But this did not stop him from learning the trade of how to push buttons for Triple Aces!
He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Alvin Bigby and Richard Packineau. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Packineau and his children Priscilla, Tonya (Manny), Jerome (Jeannette), Carol, Ashley (Jay) and his stepchildren Marianne and Adam; his sisters Sharron Caldera of California and Iris Coker of North Carolina; his adopted brother, Doug Machiskinic of Kawacatoose, Saskatchewan, Canada. He has 26 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He is survived by his oldest uncle, Willard Miller, his relatives, his close friends from Fort Peck, Fort Berthold, Canada and throughout Indian Country. He comes from a large extended family and although we did not name everyone, know he loved you all dearly and though of you.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences for the family may be left using the form below.
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
10:00 a.m.
Thursday March 3, 2022
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel
Wolf Point, Montana 59201
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Tina magnan says
Prayers to the family. He was such a nice man. May he rest in peace.
Jonny BearCub says
I will miss you – visiting as we sat beside each other at the casinos. Travel well Uncle and tell my boys we are fine. I’ll help Auntie Cheryl as best I can. Prayers for the family for strength and comfort during this time of saying farewell.
Lois says
RIP Cousin,
I am going to miss the visits we had when you would pick up your meals are at the casinos. May you rest in peace and our condolences to your family and grandchildren.
Cousin Lois Black and family
John Grandchamp jr & Heather Jackson says
RIP Uncle Willis….will miss teasing around with you when we saw you. Prayers to auntie Cheryl and the kids
Lannie Deserly says
Will miss you old friend. Condolences to the family.
Lulu Longee says
Prayers and Strength for Cheryl and his kids and all Family and My Mom (Sherrie) May you Rest In Peace Uncle Willis We will miss you ❤️
Patti martin says
Rest In Peace, Mr. Packineau, you will be missed by a lot of family and friends. Prayers to Cheryl and children …we will miss you…Phillip Grandchamp and Patricia Martin …
Curtis Courchene says
Rest easy gentle heart 💎 Cadillac
Jewel says
Thoughts, prayers, and love to your family, Cheryl, your children, my mom Iris, and my Auntie Sherry during this difficult time. I hope they can find comfort and strength together as they grieve for you. I always heard great stories about you from my mom. You’ll be missed Uncle Willis, may you Rest In Peace.
Debra mason says
Condolences to Cheryl and family. Willis was a good person
Marcus Wells says
Condolences to Willis’s family, may God Bless! Knew Willis well and helped him with his accounting and tax work when he ran his body shop. He stayed with our family often as a young man. Gonna miss
Marcus Wells says
Condolences and God Bless Willis’s family.
Knew Willis for many years, he stayed with us as a young man. I knew him as an honest and fair man. I helped him with his accounting and taxes when he had his body and repair shop! Will miss him.
Debi Longee says
Unbelievable…Uncle Willis, It was a pleasure to visit you around “Poplar Days Pow Wow 9/2018”. It was a pleasure for me and my dad (superman) and you to shine our boots on your porch and laughing and talking. I cherish the memory. Mom (Sherry) is devastated so please guide her to good health. My condolences to Cheryl, Ashely and all his family. RIP and go on your journey, Uncle…Until we meet again.
Jori White Hawk says
Have a safe and good ride on your journey back home. Knowing your not gonna be there next time I or we come to visit puts a lump in my throat. No more “you better eat, make a plate” or always seeing you with your cake and ice cream. Bet the house don’t feel the same up there, without you. You’ll truly be missed but forever/always remembered and got a place in my heart because you were a nice kind great and good man. Rest easy Willis Lee, condolences go to Cheryl, Ash and the rest of the family.
Peggy Tolan says
My condolences to Cheryl and family.