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Obituaries

Journey to the Spirit World

This page serves as a space to honor and remember the lives of our tribal members who have passed away. Here, we come together as a compassionate and supportive community to pay tribute to their legacies.

Obituary picture of Viola Ross
Viola Ross

Born: April 20, 1948
Journeyed to the Spirit World: November 29, 2021

Viola Ross, age 73, of Flandreau, SD, passed away Monday, November 29, 2021 at Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls. In fulfillment of Viola’s final wishes, a private family service was held on Thursday, December 2, 2021. Committal was at the First Presbyterian Cemetery, Flandreau, SD. A celebration of Viola’s life, with close family, friends and colleagues, will take place at a later date.

Viola was born on April 20, 1948 in Flandreau, SD to Leroy and Elaine (Traversie) Miles.  She grew up in Flandreau and graduated in 1966 from Flandreau High School.  In 1968, she graduated from Haskell Indian School in Lawrence, KS.  She worked in Minneapolis, MN for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and later, the US Attorney’s Office. She married James “Jim Bill” Ross on June 2, 1973. They moved to Bismarck, ND where Scooby was born.  Viola worked as a Secretary for Director of United Tribes Employment Training Center (UTEC). In 1974, they moved their family to Aberdeen, SD where she worked as the Secretary for the Contracting Officer at the BIA Area Office. The family welcomed Sonny in 1975. In 1977, they moved their family to Flandreau, SD where she worked as the Flandreau Indian School Secretary. The family welcomed David in 1978. In 1980, the family moved back to Aberdeen, SD where they lived for the next 13 years. In 1993, Viola moved to Flandreau and worked at the EROS Data Center as a Property and Supply Technician/Clerk.  She retired from EROS in 2006. She spent her remaining years being close to and enjoying life with her family in Flandreau, SD.

Viola is survived by James “Jim Bill” Ross; her children Elaine “Scooby” (Michael “Trin”) Stephens, Sonny Ross (Christy), David Ross, and her Hunka Son, Wesley Keck aka Wesley Ross; her four grandchildren Wyatt, Nathan, Willow and Marissa all of Flandreau, SD; Her Hunka niece and nephew, Alyssa (Justin) Voegele and Dylan (Emily) Strand.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Elaine and Walter Jones and Leroy Miles; her brother Robert Miles, her sisters Ramona Miles and Mindy Miles, her nephew Eugene Tso, and her Hunka Sister Jane Strand.

Viola will be indescribably missed by her loved ones. She was a constant force of love, strength, compassion, sassiness/feistiness, laughs, and so much more. Thank you for all you have done for us, for all the fun times and laughs, we will cherish our memories of you always. Rest peacefully now mom, we will take it from here.

Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that’s how I’ll remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don’t remember me at all.