Arlene Hope WalkingBull

Arlene Hope WalkingBull

Arlene Hope WalkingBull was born on 07/07/1952 in Sisseton, SD to Wilfred 'Tino' WalkingBull and Almara Enoch (Creighton Louis). She grew up in the Drywood lake area where her grandmother Lucy Lovejoy and grandfather Robert Enoch lived. Arlene was a survivor of the Tekakwitha boarding school and Stefan boarding school. She met Christian Garland Heminger Jr. when she was 17, they got married and had 6 daughters, 3 which were triplets. 5 years later she moved to St. Paul where her mother was an apartment caretaker. She found a job and began her journey as a single mother taking care of her 6 daughters. Few years later she moved to Minneapolis. and lived there until 1990. She volunteered at Division of Indian works for several years until she was hired on as a secretary. This job got her daughters involved in Girl Scouts, summer camps and volunteering during holidays. While she worked at DIW she was able to go on a retreat to Rapid City and explore the Black Hills. Arlene had various jobs in the Twin Cities that were all Secretarial work. Her uncle Cody Enoch and stepfather Creighton Louis were AIM members which led to Arlene putting in many hours of volunteer work with AIM members and also cooking for them. She was also asked to paint a picture for AIM as they knew she was an artist like her father 'Tino', to which she always refused any form of payments as it was for a good and worthy cause.

Whenever her mother moved to a different area of the city to be Caretaker of a new apartment building, Arlene would follow and always lived in the same building as her mother. In 1984 she found a house near Lake Street And met her son Quincy's dad. Meanwhile the girls would spend summers with their dad in Sisseton. Arlene's mother was born in Sioux Valley, Canada, so a few times, years apart her stepfather Creighton and mother took her and her girls to Canada to meet her French-Canadian relatives (the Pratts). She moved to Sisseton in 1986 where she then went to college at SWCC for few years and in 1988 returned back to Minneapolis. In 1990 she moved back to Sisseton where all her girls had moved and lived on the Westside for 7 years. In 1994 her sister Becky was stationed in Hawaii and sent for her where she stayed for a few weeks. She spent plenty of her time sewing, taking care of her grandson Damien that she raised as her own. One of her favorite past times was going to visit relatives. In 1997 she moved back to Minneapolis., for few years, then Moorhead, Mn, and back to Minneapolis., until she decided to finally stay in Moorhead for good in 2009. In 2010 she spent 6 months in the hospital by her grandson Damiens side. She always sacrificed her time to help unselfishly wherever she could or was needed. She donated a lot of time doing volunteer work, always lending a helping hand to the homeless and giving shelter to people that needed a place to stay. She adopted a few sons in the building next to hers. She also had several friends that would pick her up and take her weekly to the Dakota Magic Casino where she loved being able to visit with friends and relatives. Arlene had a pet bird that she loved and named Yellow; she would take her bird to her daughters in Long Hollow often when she would stay longer than planned.

On 11/18/23, Arlene was enjoying her weekend with her grandson Damien when she lost her balance, started having a stroke, and had numerous mini strokes which caused her whole left side to be paralyzed. Arlene stayed at Essentia in Fargo for 4 weeks and then was transferred to her daughter's house in Long Hollow for hospice care where she lasted 12 days with lots of love and care. She stayed strong and held on until her son Quincy and Minneapolis family came to see her, few days later she went in to her deep sleep. Arlene was known as a loving, giving, caring, very compassionate person that loved to laugh and joke with everyone, and for her many stories she shared. She also loved and cared about every one of her sons-in-law throughout the years. She will be sadly and greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Arlene is survived by her 6 daughters: Chrissy Heminger, Marcia Heminger, Nicole Heminger, Jessica Heminger, Delight Heminger, Vanessa Heminger; one son: Quincey T. Nevils; hunka son: Michael Gill; sisters: Michelle Walkingbull, Rebecca Louis, Agnes Louis, 14 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her mother: Almara Enoch; father: Wilfred WalkingBull, grandmother: Lucy Lovejoy; grandfather: Robert Enoch; grandsons: Marcus Sable and Christian Heminger – White.

All-night Visitation:

Friday, December 29, 2023 - 7:00 P.M.

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Community Center

Old Agency Village, South Dakota

Funeral Service:

Saturday, December 30, 2023 - 11:00 A.M.

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Community Center

Old Agency Village, South Dakota

Interment:

St. Peter's Cemetery

Sisseton, South Dakota