Sheila Elizabeth Eastman, 38, passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2024 in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM, Saturday, December 21, 2024 at the Wicoicaga Otipi Community Center in Flandreau, SD. A two-day wake service will begin at 7:00PM, Thursday, December 19, 2024 also at Wicoicaga Otipi Community Center in Flandreau, SD.
Sheila Elizabeth Eastman, Zitkadan Ho Waste Win (Good Voice Bird Woman), was born on February 21, 1986, in Flandreau, SD, to Leah Marie Fyten and Donald His Many Lightnings. She is an enrolled member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and descends from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Buffalo Lake District. She grew up in Flandreau and attended Flandreau Public School. Her extraordinary gifts and intelligence were noticed at a young age. During her 3rd-grade year, her teacher advocated for testing for an above-average IQ and thought Sheila would benefit from moving up a grade level. Her mother decided to have Sheila remain in her original class; however, from there, Sheila entered the SEEK Program (Special Education for Exceptional Kids) for the remainder of her schooling. Around 4th grade, she was selected to participate in Miss Preteen South Dakota. In middle school, she participated in the Peer Helper Program, All Nations Club, Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, and Chorus. In the 7th grade, Sheila was selected to participate in the People-to-People Student Ambassadors Program, where she traveled to Australia and New Zealand for three weeks. As a freshman, she was elected Class President; as a sophomore, she was elected Student Council Representative. During this time, she attended the Upward Bound Program at USD. Growing up close to her brothers, she had a tomboy side and deeply loved the Minnesota Vikings and Timberwolves. She transferred to the Flandreau Indian School for her senior year of high school, graduating in 2004. Admiring her Aunt Jennifer’s accomplishments as an attorney and advocate for sovereignty and Indigenous people’s rights, she applied and was accepted to the University of Minnesota and was awarded two significant scholarships. With historical and childhood traumas that many carry, Sheila chose a different path. However, as is the Creator’s plan, in 2005, she welcomed her first child, Asa James Eastman, with Lindsey Weston. In 2011, she welcomed her first and only daughter, Aleah AIM Eastman. Sheila worked for the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and Royal River Casino and attended Kilian Community College in Sioux Falls, SD. In 2012, she welcomed her son, Wakinyan Hotain Shepherd, with Robert Shepherd. In 2019, she welcomed her son Abel Lawerence Eastman, who she called “the Baby Boy.” In 2022, Sheila began working for the Minnehaha Country Club as part of the banquet staff, remaining in Sioux Falls until her passing.
Sheila was an extrovert, a shining bright light in every room she entered. Her life changed when she became a part of the fellowship of AA. She was passionate about recovery and supporting all those who were still lost. Recently, she spoke about feeling ready to sundance alongside her siblings, father, and son. Her Dakota beliefs were a foundational piece of her life. She learned and loved to sing Dakota songs. Her ability to connect with others, make friends, and give love and encouragement was unparalleled and will be deeply missed by everyone fortunate enough to have known her. Sheila is remembered for her strong, beautiful spirit, resiliency, and fearlessness. It should be known that Sheila lived in her truth, owned her life choices, and always upheld an admirable fierceness.
She was preceded in death by her great-grandparents: Theodore Taylor, Ann Flower, Raymond Eastman and Angeline Two Stars, Louise and Albert Azure; her paternal grandparents: Duwayne “Big Boy” and Delores (Azure) Eastman, Wayne (PeeWee) and Olivia Eastman; maternal grandparents: Gerald and Patricia (Taylor) Roy; grandfather, Chief Leonard Crowdog; uncles: Miles Roy, Josh Roy, Michael Roy, and Theodore “Teddy Bear” Roy; aunt, Jennifer Fyten; cousins: Reece Weston and Jacob Larsen; brothers: Eric Anderson, Scotty Anderson, Konrad Roy, Darren Roy and Michael Roy, Jr.; and her sister, Renae Anderson.
She is survived by her mother, Leah Fyten, Flandreau, SD; father, Donnie (Jodi) His Many Lightnings, Buffalo Lake, SD; her children: Asa James Eastman, Aleah Aim Eastman, Wakinyan Hotain Shepherd and Abel Lawrence Eastman all of Flandreau, SD, and Baby Birdie; her siblings: Angeline Eastman, Mandan, ND, Joe Hansen, Flandreau, SD, Jade Trottier, Dunseith, ND, Nicole Eastman, Fargo, ND, Jason (Sapphire) Eastman, Sisseton, SD, Jerry Eastman, Sisseton, SD, Amanda (Lamar) Eastman, Sioux Falls, SD, Duran (Jess) Eastman, Hartford, SD, Raymond Eastman, Sisseton, SD, Donald (Gianna) Eastman, Jr., Sisseton, SD, Willow His Many Lightnings, Sisseton, SD, Ohiyesa Eastman, Buffalo Lake, SD; and many, many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
