Erich Stephen Longie was born April 29, 1953 to Mercie Jerome and Stephen Longie in Devils Lake, ND.  Erich passed away on July 9, 2024 at his home in Fort Totten, ND.

The day my father passed away and my family looked to me to write his obituary, I left my father’s home after the ambulance personnel carried him out of his home for the last time and came home.  After hours of thinking of my dad and how much I’m going to miss him and I started writing and reading his book he never got to finish.  After a long night of writing and reading I went to bed.  When I woke up in the morning I was thinking to myself “you know who would tell my dad’s story better than me is my dad himself”.  So, with that being said here is a few lines from his book and we have more chapters printed out at the funeral and hopefully I can finish his book and get everyone copies. 

“I was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota, in 1953.  During my infant and toddler years, I lived in the East End.  The East End was the eastern part of the reservation where my dad grew up.  But most of my memories are in Crow Hill, where my mom was born and raised.  My mom and my dad separated when I was a toddler.  In Crow Hill, we lived in a two-bedroom frame house; part of it was a frame house; part was a log cabin with a porch attached to it.  I remember it being warm and cozy.  We had a kerosene stove with three burners, which we cooked on.  I remember the older kids going to school and wondering where they went.

We explored all the trees and hills within a five-mile radius and played many games to keep us occupied in the evening.  We ran around the woods, went to the lake, and swam.  I remember my auntie, on my dad’s side, stayed with us.  We called her Auntie Abu.  She inserted a lullaby Dakota word, “Abu,” mothers used to sing to their babies when they wanted to sleep.  “Abu, Abu… go to sleep…”  She slept on the floor behind the kerosene stove because it was warm, and her thakoza (grandchild) would sleep with her.  Back then, the adults would talk in Dakota all the time.  It was a good life.  I didn’t have a care in the world.

We always had lots of dogs, and they stayed outside no matter how cold it became.  My stepdad had built a shelter for them using angle iron from an old iron bed.  I tripped and fell right on the edge of the angle iron, and its sharp edge cut a deep gash right next to my nose.  The rip became a huge scar that is still noticeable today.  We did not run to the clinic when sick or hurt; we just toughed it out.”

Erich is survived by his loving wife, Darlene Longie; children: Angie Longie & Children Erica Longie, Angela Young, Dion Young, MorningStar Young, Erich Longie Jr & Children Raelyn Longie, Kylia Longie, Silas Longie, Juneau Longie, Marshall Longie, Marie & Children Ashlynn Jetty, Valerie Longie, Brooklyn Longie, Marshawn Longie, Carter Martin-Longie, Jerrin Martin, Ryan Longie, Cassie & Children Anna Longie, Joel Longie, Aakia Longie; siblings: Corwin Longie, Marshall Pete Longie & Marcella & children, Chris Nelson & Caroline & children, Bernadette Punky Brown & Craig & children and Tom Brown; adopted children:  LJ Trottier, Mark Urvand, Dale Alberts, Phillip Alberts, George Alberts, Maurice Alberts, Roger Baker, Justin Kraft and Monte Fassett; step children: Bruce Wallace – LeRoy Wallace – Delano Wallace – Evan Wallace – A’reta Tom.

Pallbearers: LJ Trottier ~ Mark Urvand ~ Dale Alberts ~ Phillip Alberts ~ Justin Kraft ~ Vincent Hinojos ~ Leroy Wallace ~ Anthony Longie ~ Darcy Longie ~ Craig Brown Jr.

Honorary Bearers: Carol Davis & Isadore Gourneau, Dana Trickey, Tamara St John, Diane Derosier, Donna & Pat Brown, Emerson BullChief, Jeanie Borchert, Brent Hanson, Curt Hanson, Roger “busty” Mckay, Dan Cavanaugh, AnnMarie Demars, Donna WhiteBuffalo, Lili Demarce, Judy Rieke, Arlene Krulish, Tony & Arlene Azure, Tracy Lesperance, Bob & Lois Rainbow, Dave & Diana Young, Denise Lajimodiere, Carty Monette, Loretta Delong, Michelle Lundberg-Tate & family, Rocky Dauphanias, Phillip “skip” Longie & family, Breanne Hinojos, All THPO friends, also all the Counts family that took him in and he took like his family.  Erich had many friends and co-workers he has met throughout his life. If we forgot to mention any names, please forgive us. It wasn’t intentional, as this is a very difficult and sorrowful time for our family.

Military Honors: VFW Post #6547, Fort Totten, ND and North Dakota Marine Funeral Honors Team.

 

Erich’s Visitation will be Monday, at 5:00PM followed by a Prayer Service at 7:00PM all at Crow Hill Rec. Center, Fort Totten.

Friends wishing to join the procession from New Rockford to Ft. Totten may gather on the St. Jerome’s road, Fort Totten, prior to 4:15PM.

A Final Review will be held Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 10:00AM followed by a Funeral Service at Crow Hill Rec. Center, Fort Totten.

His Burial will be at the St. Thomas Episcopal Cemetery, Ft. Totten, ND.