Omaha Zephier, 32, of Lake Andes

Omaha died Monday, November 19, 2012 at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN after a long illness. Wake services began Wednesday at the Boys and Girls Club Gym in Marty. Funeral services were 10:30 AM, Saturday, November 24, 2012 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Marty. Burial was in the church cemetery. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

Omaha Ironwing Zephier of Lake Andes, SD was born in Denver, CO on April 3, 1975. For most of his youth he grew up in SD and attended Marty Indian School and Flandreau Indian School. One of Omaha's greatest passions was mixed martial arts. In the early 2000's, Omaha lived in Sioux Falls where he established a mixed martial arts training center. He was the first person in the Sioux Falls area to bring mixed martial arts cage fighting competitions to a public venue.

Omaha's daughter, Shyann Zephier, and son, Mato Zephier were born in Sioux Falls. He later moved his family to Lake Andes, his residence for the past three years. There he helped his mother, Gertrude Zephier Godoy, open and run a family restaurant.

Omaha is survived by his mother, Gertrude Zephier Godoy of O'Neill, NE; father, Isaac Homer of Durant, OK; father Dwight Parker of Macy, NE; brother, David Watson of Sioux Falls; sister Kristina Watson of Sioux Falls; brother, Quanah Watson of Sioux Falls; brother, Robert Homer of Pickstown; sister, Kemimila Wa'ste Winyan Homer of Sioux Falls; daughter, Shyann Zephier of Lake Andes; son, Mato Zephier of Lake Andes, and their mother Jaclyn Garza of Lake Andes.