Estellene Anna St. John Zephier, 56, of Greenwood, SD, died peacefully in her home on May 21. Wake services are being held in both Wagner and Fort Thompson, beginning on May 22-23 at the South Housing Gym in Wagner and then moving to the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Thompson on May 24 until her funeral at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26.

Estellene was born on January 5, 1959, to Melvina (Black Tongue) St. John and Van St. John, Sr. in Chamberlain, SD. She attended grade school in Fort Thompson and graduated from Flandreau Indian School. Estellene married Rudy Crow and had two children, Lucas and Marty. The family moved to Minneapolis where Estellene earned her bachelor's degree in social work at Augsburg College.


Estellene accomplished many things in her life. While pursuing her degree, she found employment at the Division of Indian Work as a family advocate. After graduating from Augsburg College, she served as a director at the Minnesota Women's Resource Center until moving back to South Dakota. While employed in Minnesota, Estellene was co-author of a book. The majority of Estellene's social work career was devoted to being a family counselor in the Diabetes Prevention Program at the Indian Health Service in Wagner. Estellene is the founder of the Diva-betics, a line dancing group who exercised together to help prevent diabetes. She also led support groups and other activities designed to help people live healthier lives. Estellene was active in learning about and teaching the uses of traditional plants and medicines. She appeared in a Keloland diabetes public service announcement, was on "Buffalo Nation" on SD Public TV, and acted in a few other productions.

Estellene married Sherwyn Zephier on October 10, 2010, at their home in Greenwood. They enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Canada and also visited the Netherlands and Italy.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Sherwyn Zephier, Greenwood, SD; son, Lucas Crow, Greenwood, SD; daughter, Marty (Alfred) Gunhammer, Wagner, SD; three sisters, Madonna St. John, Lorri Kim St. John, Anna Jo St. John (Winston Dion), all of Fort Thompson, SD; three brothers, Van (Jeanette) St. John, Takini, SD; Levi St. John (Jewel Acorn), Minneapolis, MN; Sheldon St. John, Fort Thompson, SD; two grandchildren, Xavier and Xandria Gunhammer, Wagner, SD; nine stepchildren, Glen Zephier, Red Sky Zephier, both of Wagner, SD; Wade Zephier, Sherwin Zephier, Marcel Zephier, all of Redwood Falls, MN; Journey Zephier, Rainbow Zephier, Tahca Zephier, all of Oahu, HI; Angel Zephier, Fargo, ND; and numerous step-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Estellene was preceded in death by her parents, Van St. John, Sr. and Melvina St. John; her sister, Jacqueline (St. John) Stengel; her nephew, William George St. John; her maternal grandparents, Helen Black Tongue McBride and John Black Tongue; her paternal grandparents, Rose St. John Keeble and Van St. John.