Skip to content
Close
SEARCH
Native American adult male in full ceremonial dress looking off into the distance.

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 William B. Schumacher, Sr.
William B. Schumacher, Sr.

Born: October 15, 1947
Journeyed to the Spirit World: July 30, 2020

William B. Schumacher, Sr., 72, Flandreau, SD, passed away on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Avera Flandreau Hospital. Bill was born on October 15, 1947 in Chicago, IL to Richard Sr. and Marcella (Kitto) Schumacher. He grew up in Evanston, IL and graduated from Evanston Township High School in 1965. Bill would continue to live in Evanston working at the post office as a mail sorter and a bus mechanic for the city. He married Randi Berkseth and to this union, two children, Michael and Robert, were born. Bill married Linda Miller, and they lived in Evanston before moving to Arizona and California. Together, they had four children, Aaron, William Jr., Heather, and Steve. Bill worked as a chef and construction worker, and together, the couple did property management in California, Arizona, and Sioux Falls. In 1991, the family moved to Flandreau and Bill began his tenure as Tribal Chairman for the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. Bill decided to continue his education and received his law degree from Arizona State University in Tempe in 2000. Shortly after Linda’s passing in 2000, Bill moved back to Flandreau where he would do both paralegal work and write grants for alternative energy projects, specializing in wind energy. Bill was a family man with a strong Christian faith. He was baptized in Pirate’s Cove, CA and enjoyed leading family bible study and trivia. He loved to go deep sea fishing, pan for gold, and play poker.

Bill is survived by his six children: Aaron (Rhonda) and their children: Izzy, Kirsten, Cameron, and Jarod, Elizabeth, CO; William Jr. (Chris), Conifer, CO; Steve and his children: Dylan, Haylee, and Maci, Elizabeth, CO; Heather and her children: Andrew, Mason, and Abigail, Sioux Falls, SD; Michael (Heather) and their children: Michael and Blake, Des Plaines, IL; and Robert (Kirsten) and their children: Alexandra and Benjamin, Glenview, IL; and one great granddaughter, Addison. He is also survived by his siblings: Bonnie (Marco) Stegich, Morton Grove, IL; Rick (Pat) Schumacher, Evanston, IL; Bruce Schumacher, Flandreau; and Marcie (Darren) Walker, of Flandreau. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda, his parents, Richard and Marcella, and one grand-dog, Alyeshka “Aly”.

Funeral Services will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at Eastman Hall, Flandreau, SD. Pastor Sam Pickard and Dusty Beaulieu will officiate. Special music will be provided by the Wakpa Ipaksan drum group. Burial will follow at the First Presbyterian Cemetery, Flandreau. Pallbearers will be Aaron Pines, William Schumacher, Jr., Steve Schumacher, Bruce Schumacher, Rick Schumacher, Andrew Oswald, Mason Oswald, Dylan Schumacher, Adam Soward, Matt Kitto, and Gatlin Herrera.

Visitation will begin at 3:00 pm and an all night wake service will begin at 7:00 pm on Monday, August 3, 2020 at Eastman Hall, Flandreau, SD. Social distance practices and masks will be encouraged.