Marlene Youpee, age 33, of Poplar, MT

Marlene Virginia Rose Youpee Wicanhpi To Wi (Blue Star Woman) started her journey to the Spirit world the morning of September 4th, 2023 in her home in Poplar, Montana.
Marlene, also known as Marz by her close friends and family on the Fort Peck Reservation as well as Rocky Boy Reservation. Marz was born August 27th, 1990 to her mother Cheryl Sutherland and her late father Bernard Noel Youpee. She was gifted her paternal grandmother, Melvene Spotted Bird’s Dakota name.
Marz graduated head start in Poplar 1995, she continued her schooling in the Poplar elementary for several years then onto Brockton elementary and junior high. In Brockton elementary her aunty Kori was her basketball coach for the lil warriors. In junior high she was the high school basketball manager along side her cousin Chelbi. She then moved to Rocky Boy, Montana to live with her mother. She went to the Box Elder high school where she placed 1st in their annual spelling bee she made some life long friends while going to school. Her junior year she went to the Chemawa Indian School in Salem, OR. Until her hot temper got her sent back to Brockton to live with her father. In Brockton she became a cheerleader and gave away several star quilts during tournament time. She didn’t graduate high school but did get her G.E.D. in 2008 she continued her education at the Stone Child College for several semesters.
In 2008 she became a mother to her first son, Vincent. Being a mother was the best and by far the most rewarding experience she could ask for. In 2010 she had her 2nd son, Joedaus. In 2011 she was shot in the leg so she moved back home, from Rocky Boy, with her sister in Poplar. After she healed, she became a fry cook at B & S laundry for about a year. After she worked as a cashier at Tribal Express until finally moving to the Casino in Tribal Express. She loved working in the Casino she met relatives and new friends while being employed. She moved to Brockton for a couple years and had her baby Kilijah Junior in 2018.
Marlene loved to watch cooking shows and loved to cook up for family, at least once a month she would make something new. She also liked her haunted spooky makeup tutorials as well. When traveling to watch her children dance powwows or to watch her sons play football, she was always sitting in the back to snuggle and play with them. She was known for her beautiful make up talent, an artist through and through. She would love to visit friends and family always cracking a joke here and there. She was the best sister anyone could ask for. When anyone would ask her “your cousin” she would always reply, “Nope that’s my brother or nope that’s my sister.” She took alot of our aunts and uncles are her mothers and fathers growing up. She was the only one of dad’s kids who didn’t dance she didn’t care she knew she would be at aunty Lorna’s raising heck. Britney got her to dance one time up in Canada, she was in it for the maza ska. When she did go on the powwow trail with her sister, she knew what needed to be done. She went to Standing Rock to represent both her tribes the Fort Peck and Rocky Boy tribes during the standoff, no DAPL!
Marlene was baptized in Fort Kipp at the Presbyterian church. Growing up in Brockton she would attend the Baptist church on Sunday’s. Living in Rocky Boy she attended the Assembly of God church. She would attend her family’s sundance every year in Brockton “Tatanka Yamni” Three Buffalo. At the end of her short lived life she was attending Pastor Jay Cummings church west of Poplar, the Assembly of God.
Marlene was that sister who would always fight for you, no matter what. Didn’t matter if it was the older siblings or younger siblings, she came through with her sleeves rolled up. Marlene is going to be missed for her humor, kindness, honeriness, her cooking and her mere presence.
She is welcomed on the other side by her baby son Andre Dean, father, grandparents Louise Ell, Richard “Dicky” Sutherland, Louis Youpee Jr., and Melvene Spotted Bird. Her little big brother Richard “Dicky Bob” Brown, uncles Charles “Rocky” Youpee Sr., Paul Dean White Bear, Merlin Youpee, Richard Sutherland and little cousin Connie Melvene Youpee, Trevor Harrison. Adopted siblings Cole Stump, Sean Saddler, Armon Boyd and Felica Crowe. Marlene had many others relatives too numerous to mention.
She is survived by her mother, her children Vincent Youpee, Joedaus Small and Kilijah Good Soldier Jr., and her adopted sons Caden Bear, David Parker and Aaron Savior-Jackson and her special nephew who she helped raise, Logan Cloud she called him her baby Huey. Siblings Terrell (Heather) Sutherland, Seneca Sutherland, Cale (Klarissa) Martell, Brandon Martell, Britney (Joseph) Cloud, Edmund Youpee, Zachary Brown and baby sister Jewell Youpee. Adopted siblings; Leigh Spotted Bird, Tasheena Duran, Shana Chiefstick, Shalimar Small, Chelsea Beauchamp, Charles “Chucky” Plante, Jesse Falcon, Thomas Falcon, Raymond Olsen, Vincent Longtree, Kelly Beauchman, Kyla Roberts, Ziktcana Roberts, Kymberlyn Boyd, Trent Boyd, Emerson Boyd, Jr Boyd, Anthony Spotted Bird, Chance Roberts, Ann Chopper, Shalane Crazy Bull, Tyree Burshie, Brandi Simons, Jessica Simons, Sarah Brown, Charles “RJ” Youpee Jr., and Mallory Youpee. Her nieces and nephews; Janaeya Sutherland, Tyson Sutherland, Oakley Sutherland, Paxton Sutherland, Shanel Red Thunder, Tenniel Sutherland, Jaykub Sutherland, Timothy Sutherland, Isaiah Martell, Cale Martell Jr., Valencia Martell, Benjamin Brown and Otter Youpee. Her two grandbabies Ravonnie Harris and Kailoe Red Thunder. Grandmothers Jewel Hanna, Doris Spotted Bird, Gloria Chopper, Delilah Wakan, Kate Youpee, Jaime Youpee Sharon (Wilson) Roberts, Doris “Ducky” Bird and Juanita (Doug) Youngman. Relatives; Tuffy First, Sandra Sutherland, Harold “Mr. Dean” Sutherland, Connie (Brian) Jones, Roxann (Robert) Smith, Branda (George) Eder, Kevin Buckles, Teddy Ricker, Vicky Hopkins, Debby Hopkin, Shannon Hopkins, Bobby Hopkins, Barney Hopkins, Lana Jackson-Fourstar, Lois Youpee, Dylan (Misty) Youpee, Dyan Youpee, Willard (Tzi Ling) White, Bernice (Michael) Youpee-Jordan, Waylon (Connie) Youpee, Kori Good Bird, Myron Spotted Bird, Virginia Spotted Bird, Lelanda (Bear) Roberts, Larissa (Darwin) Spotted Bird, Royce (Jackie) Spotted Bird, Aletha “Sissy” Chopper, Candace Spotted Bird, Maureen and Brad Grey Hawk, Tiny Draszt, Mavis Draszt, JR Draszt, Rusty Denny, Elwayne Rush, Roberta Bird, Lorna Drum, Charlene Drum, Silas Drum, Verdis (Russell) Greybull, Joel (Marcella) Greybull, Ron Yellow Hammer, Erroll Yellow Hammer, Tote (Willa) Grey Hawk, Melda Sioux Grey Hawk, Justin (Orlonda) Grey Hawk Sr., Mary and Greg Plante, Vermae Taylor, Raymond Track, Ira Track, Shilo Fourbear Track. Marlene had numerous cousins from Youpee’s, Spotted Bird’s, Sutherland’s, Buckles to name a few. She had relatives throughout Fort Peck Reservation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Canada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Doha Qatar, Belgium Europe special friends from Thailand, Germany and Japan.

Service Schedule

Wake

7:00 p.m.

Monday September 11, 2023

Poplar Cultural Center

Poplar, Montana 59255

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Funeral Service

1:00 p.m.

Tuesday September 12, 2023

Poplar Cultural Center

Poplar, Montana 59255

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Interment

Fort Kipp Cemetery

Fort Kipp, Montana

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