Gene W. Thin Elk, 35, of Hilo, Hawaii, formerly of Lake Andes

Funeral Services were 10 AM, Thrusday, March 5, 2015 at the White Swan Community Center in Lake Andes.Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

Gene W. Thin Elk, an enrolled member of the Ihanktonwan Oyate (End Village-Yankton Sioux Tribe), completed his Mother Earth Journey on February 22, 2015 while residing in Hilo, Hawaii. He also was Sicangu/Ogala Lakota. He was born December 7, 1979. Gene was a beautiful spirit, he had an intelligence you can taste, loved everyone and was very much loved by those whose lives he touched and will be remembered by his children, family, relatives and friends. He loved his Indigenous life-ways, by sharing song, dance and prayer in many circles.

He is survived by his parents Diane Merrick of Lake Andes, SD and Eugene D. Thin Elk of Vermillion; one daughter Makayla Tate; one son Gabriel Warren; four sisters: Melody Thin Elk of Lake Andes, Erin Thin Elk of Pryor Lake, MN, Serene Thin Elk of Sioux Falls, Sasheen Thin Elk of Lake Andes; six brothers: Sean D. Thin Elk of Seattle, WA, Shane Thin Elk of Onawa, IA, Mathew Barrett of Bismark, ND, Joshua Thin Elk of Lake Andes, Jonah Thin Elk of Lake Andes, Jessie Thin Elk of Sisseton, Louie Sitting Crow of Dakota Dunes, Micah Nickey of Flandreau; as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends too numerous to mention.