Howard James Bemer passed away on Sunday, January 20, 2020 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Billings, MT of cancer. He was born on December 7, 1949 to Neville Bemer and Freda Bauer Christian Burshia Bemer. He was raised on the family farm and ranch north of Fort Kipp. He attended school in Brockton, MT, graduating in 1967. Dad briefly attended Dartmouth and Montana State University before returning to run the farm and ranch due to Grandpa Neville’s illness. He married Carol White Bear Bemer in 1967 and to this union, Paul, Leslie (who was born on his birthday), and William were born. Howard and Carol later divorced but remained lifelong friends. He married Vicky Hopkins in 1988 and they later divorced. On June 30, 1999 he married Roberta (Billy Gayle) Murray Bemer. They were devoted to each other and spent the rest of his life on adventures, traveling around the country for his work, and locally to support Billy Gayle and the Blue Ribbon Band. Howard and Billy raised her granddaughter Ronni Pritchard.
Howard had many important and fulfilling jobs during his lifetime. During his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), he served as a police officer, criminal investigator and Captain of Law Enforcement. These positions eventually led him to BIA and the Office of Special Trustee Executive leadership positions in Nashville, TN, Washington, D.C., Rapid City, SD, Fort Belknap, MT, Fort Yates, ND and New Town, ND before completing his federal career as the Superintendent of the Fort Peck Agency in Poplar.
Howard also faithfully served the Fort Peck Tribes as a game warden, police officer, Tribal Executive Board member and Tribal Judge. In addition to his service with the BIA and Fort Peck Tribes, Howard found the time to operate a farming/cattle operation north of Fort Kipp, and he also co-founded United Professional Permitting – a seismic permitting firm – during the early 1980s “oil boom” in Northeastern Montana.
Howard enjoyed the ranching lifestyle, and was very fond of his horses. During his younger years, he was an avid team roper, and found great success on the regional rodeo circuit. Howard was also responsible for helping to revive the Fort Peck Indian Rodeo. He was always happiest when riding and probably forgot more than a lot of people knew about horses.
Howard was a people person and made friends everywhere he went. A born leader, he enjoyed developing talent and empowering people to realize their full potential. He always had a moment to visit, advice to share, or an anecdote that helped. Howard could tell a mean story and boy did he have stories to tell, from his time mining coal at the old Bemer coal mine, to crazy exploits with his many friends. One time he was hunting with Linnie Smith and Buck Smith and the truck hit a bump and Buck got knocked out and they simply kept chasing that coyote. Or the time he and Larry Garfield went camping and fishing and decided to take the boat out and wash up in the lake, but then couldn’t pull themselves out of the water.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents, Neville, and Freda, his brothers, Ossie, Al Jr., and Ronnie Burshia, and sisters Brenda Burshia, who died in infancy, and Gladys Bemer, and Joyce Bemer Waldhausen, and grand daughter Paulette Bemer.
Howard is survived by his wife, Billy Gayle, children, Paul Bemer, Leslie (Terrance) Gourneau, and William Bemer, stepson Bill Pritchard, as well as his younger sister, Julie (Merle) Bemer, grandchildren PJ Bemer and her son Masen, Amber Hopkins, T., Megan, Callyn, and Emma Gourneau, and William, Ronni, and Aiden Pritchard, and his nieces Ellie Burshia, Carolyn (Buddy) Adams, Roxann (Robert) Smith, Brenda (George) Eder, Dr. Lisa Sun Rhodes, and nephews Nick (Mickey) Bemer, Dr. Neil (Michelle), Ryon, and Tristan Sun Rhodes, and brothers and sisters-in-law Boy (Theresa) Murray, and Kate, Barbara, and Patty Murray.
Howard had a lot of relatives and friends and we apologize if we inadvertently left anyone out; this was not our intention.
We all cherish our memories with you and will forever miss you, we will see you again someday.