Funeral services for Shyleah Marie (Thin Elk) Steele, 15, of Bullhead, were held Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Bullhead with Father Ron Geary officiating. Burial followed at the church cemetery.

An all-night wake with prayer service was held Aug. 20 at Rock Creek Gym. Music was provided by Mike and Adella Kills Pretty Enemy, Gilbert Kills Pretty Enemy II, Garrett Hairy Chin and Leon Smith.

Shyleah died Friday, Aug. 13, 2010, in Bismarck, N.D.

Casketbearers were Darien Steele, Grant Bird Horse, Darwin Yellow Earrings, Warren Brown, Garrett Hairy Chin, Tyler Lawrence, Jeremiah Skinner, Zachary Long Chase, Jacob Takes the Gun and Taylor Rose Bud.

Shyleah was born Dec. 11, 1994, in Mobridge to Stacey L. Steele and Gerald Thin Elk. She lived with her mother and stepfather Reginald Bird Horse Jr. of Wakpala until she was three years old. She then went to live with her maternal grandmother, Edna M. Kills Pretty Enemy of Bullhead until the time of her grandmother's death in 2007. Shyleah lived the remainder of her life with her very special uncle, J.B. Kills Pretty Enemy, who took guardianship of her.

Shyleah attended Rock Creek Grant School in Bullhead, graduating from the eighth grade in 2009. She then attended McIntosh High School.

Shyleah enjoyed cooking and feeding children, listening to music, visiting with friends and family and loved all kids. She will always be remembered as having a baby on her hip. She especially loved her very special niece, Sunni Cooper Ortega.

She is survived by her mother, Stacey L. Steele of Selfridge, N.D.; father, Gerald Thin Elk of Sioux Falls; stepfather, Reginald Bird Horse Jr. of Wakpala; brothers, Timothy Steele, Grant Bird Horse and adopted brother, Larry Brown Jr. of Bullhead and Tanner Steele of Sioux Falls; sister, Shanyce Bird Horse of Bullhead; very special first cousins, Darien, Danielle, Dylana, Dylan, Debbie Jo and baby David Steele Jr., Stephanie Steele, Noah Kills Pretty Enemy, Ella Kills Pretty Enemy, Nathan Metcalfe Jr. of Bullhead; uncles, J.B. Kills Pretty Enemy and Donavon Brown of Bullhead and David Steele Sr. of Selfridge; aunts, Norma J. Uzoughbo of Lake Andes, Fran Jimboy of Bullhead and Brenda Haugen of Rochester, Minn.; niece, Sunni Cooper Ortega of Mobridge; great aunts, Mary Helen Kills Pretty Enemy of Bullhead and Clarice (Brian) Lebrun of Rapid City; great uncles, Michael (Adella) Kills Pretty Enemy of Bullhead, Gilbert Kills Pretty Enemy II of McLaughlin, Dale (Jolene) Kills Pretty Enemy of Pryor, Mont., and Kris (Teresa) Kills Pretty Enemy of Indian Head, Md.

Honorary casketbearers were many more family members and friends too numerous to name.