Richard A. Luger

Richard A. Luger Sr., 68, Fort Yates, North Dakota, passed away Tuesday, September 10, 2013, at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, September 16, 2013, at St. Peter's Catholic Church, Fort Yates with Fr. Basil Atwell officiating. Visitation begins at 5:00 PM, with a rosary service at 7:00 PM, Sunday, September 15th, also at St. Peter's Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery, Fort Yates. Richard Albert Luger Sr., was born on May 19, 1945, to Sophia (Archambault) Luger and Harold "Heds" Luger in Mobridge, South Dakota. He attended grade school at St. Bernard's Mission School in Fort Yates and Fort Yates High School. He received his GED in 1963, and enlisted in the United States Navy on September 23, 1963. On December 7, 1963, after boot camp, he was stationed on the USS Brinkley Bass in Long Beach, California. In April 1966, he was then stationed at Buskin Lake Communications base in Kodiak, Alaska, until his Honorable discharge on September 25, 1967. In 1968 he attended a Business College in Los Angeles, California and in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He owned and operated the Ponderosa Liquor Store from 1978 to 2007. Richard married Beverly Mountain-Nagle on August 6, 1984. Together they joined their children in one big happy family. They had five sons, Lawrence Charles "Bubbsie" Luger, Fort Yates, Sheldon Richard Luger Sr. (Deceased), Richard Harold "Marv" Luger, Fort Totten, Neil James (Notasha) Luger, Fort Yates, Paul (Laura) Wetzel, Colony, Texas; seven daughters, Breanne Sophia "Babyanne" Luger, Chelsea Marie "Pidge" Luger, Carrie Ann "Owl" (John) King, Jana Wolf Necklace, Jennifer Four Swords, all of Fort Yates, Misty Ann Luger and Shelly Marie Luger, both of Fort Totten; 34 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Richard was a loving, faithful husband with strong family values. He was a father in every sense of the word, being there for each and every son and daughter, always supportive in their every endeavor. He loved watching them play in any sport they participated in and hardly, if ever, missed any school sports activities from the time they were born until the day God took him home. He had the true values that we as Native Americans honor in a person-bravery, honesty, strength, respect for others, controlled emotions. He was a truly humble man who endured his nearly life-long pain and suffering with patience and in silence, and never complained. He was a faithful Catholic and his religion was of the utmost importance to him. Along with reverant prayer, he took every medical test, surgery, and procedure, in order to preserve the precious gift of life that God gave him. Trusting in God's will to the very end. In his healthier years, he loved to go bowling every Friday night on the Rebel League. His nick-name there was "Auto", because he never missed a spare. Other nicknames were "Watosh" "Smoke", "Wagamu", "Fran", and "The Senator". Everyone who knew Richard knew he had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. Often when he came home, he would walk in the door and start dancing, crouched low, his head keeping time with the drum only he could hear, and jingling his keys at the same time. He never showed he was in pain. He liked going to Prairie Knights Casino and playing the Poker machines or Black Jack at the tables. He was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan who never lost hope that they would do better next year. He also loved watching TV game shows. When it got too difficult for him to go anywhere, he would call friends on the phone just to shoot the breeze, then soon even that was too difficult. A pretty regular call was to his cousin Sandy Luger who he called "Buffalo." Then it got deep. He liked to sit on the porch in the afternoon sun, and sometimes friends would stop by to visit when they see him sitting there. Richard took great pride in being Native American, a Standing Rock Sioux enrollee, and respected traditions and values of his people. He enjoyed attending pow-wows and his favorite, the men's traditional dancers. His Indian name was Sunkawakan Wicasa " Holy Horse Man ". Richard is survived by his wife Beverly, 11 children, 34 grandchildren, one great-grandchild. A loving and devoted sister, Karen Luger; two nieces, Michelle and Melissa, two nephews, Christopher and Michael; a very special aunt Ginny Luger; and many cousins too numerous to mention. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Sophie Luger, two brothers, Chaz Luger and Larry Luger; one sister, Shirley Luger; and beloved son, Sheldon Richard Luger, Sr.