Charles Yellow Bird, 63, White Shield, died on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 in Fargo. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 10:00 am at the Ralph Wells Jr. Memorial Complex in White Shield. Wake services will be held on Monday beginning at 5:00 pm at the complex. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery in rural White Shield.

Charles Wayne Yellow Bird "aka Chuck" was born October 17, 1948 in Elbowoods, ND to Willard and Magdalen Yellow Bird. He was preceded in death by his father Willard Yellow Bird, Sr. and grandparents; Charles and Nellie (Red Fox) Yellow Bird, and Benjamin and Jessie (Everette) Young Bird.
Chuck is survived by his Mother Magdalen Yellow Bird, White Shield; Daughter Carla [Antone III] American Horse, Cannon Ball, ND; Sisters Nelrene Yellow Bird, White Shield; Cheryl Yellow Bird, Eagan, MN; Linda [Danny] Gonzalez, Bismarck; and Jessie Yellow Bird, Salem, OR; brothers Willard [Donna] Yellow Bird, Jr., Moorhead, MN; Dennis [Lael] Yellow Bird, Moorhead; Michael [Erin] Yellow Bird, Arcata, CA; Thomas [Rita] Yellow Bird, Ronan, MT; Elroy [Lenora] Yellow Bird, Fargo, ND; Monte [Emily] Yellow Bird, Great Falls, MT; Marlon Yellow Bird, Garrison, ND; Rodney Yellow Bird, White Shield; Loren [Marla] Yellow Bird, Trenton, ND; and Cory Yellow Bird, New Town; and four grandchildren Aarik, Ellie, Topa, and Amar'e American Horse; and Fiancé, Patty Eagle.
Chuck graduated from the White Shield High School May 26, 1966. He attended the Colleges of Bottineau, Mayville, North Dakota State University and the College of Sante Fe, New Mexico, where he obtained Bachelor Degrees in Psychology, Political Science (cum laude), Human Resources, and Business Administration. He was also working on and close to completion of a Master's Degree in Occupational Psychology. He was a student of the world and had a vast and diverse learning in a number of different scholarly disciplines. Several of his professors regarded him as an exceedingly talented student, imbued with the highest levels of intelligence, and capable of succeeding in any academic area.
As a young man, Chuck was an activist and visionary in the revitalization of the Arikara language and culture. He was involved in bringing elder Arikara speakers together to preserve the language and used his writing skills to write a grant, which was funded, and served as the basis for the creation of an organization called "Arikara For Survival." During this same time, his activist work moved him to advocate and work with others to help launch the "Indian Controlled School Boards," movement, which was one of the early undertakings of American Indian sovereignty. Because of his work in this area he was elected to serve on one of the first Indian controlled school board in White Shield. In his professional life, Chuck was a contract specialist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs; a position that he held for several years in the Denver and Albuquerque BIA area offices. He retired from this position while he was living in Albuquerque. He was a very good artist and taught art classes at the White Shield School and GED classes for the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota.
He was an avid fisherman, hunter, and a master pool player and won several pool tournaments and trophies in Denver and Albuquerque. Like his father before him, he loved music and played the trumpet; He loved listening to music and artists such as James Taylor, Carly Simon, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Bob Seger, Willie Nelson, Judy Collins, Cher, Gilbert O'Sullivan and groups such as America, Bread, the Byrds, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, the Mamas and the Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, the Eagles, Chicago, and Fleetwood Mac. He was a part time, short term, mechanic and often scoured the rez around White Shield for parts from old, junk cars so he could rebuild new ones. If you were to look into the trunk of his car, you'd find a half dozen carburetors, several mismatched brake shoes, outdated water and fuel pumps, and numerous other car parts. One of his passions was Ford Mustangs and he owned several classic models.
Chuck had an incredibly agile, brilliant mind, and an amazing wit, which he used in his humor and storytelling. He loved to tease his family and friends and it would not be long before he had everyone, including total strangers laughing at this jokes and stories. There was no one who could match his wit, critical thinking, and ability to creatively tell and get the most out of a joke. In the eyes of his family he held a PhD as a comedian and was the Dean of humor.
We, Chuck's family loved him more than words can say. His humor brought us several lifetimes of laughter, love, and memories and will keep us giggling, smiling, and joking in his memory. We were so happy when he returned home from Albuquerque. We will miss him!