Patricia Anne Buechler, 88, of Pickstown, SD

Patricia died Thursday, January 18, 2024 at the Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, SD. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Marty, SD. Burial will be in the St. Ann's Catholic Cemetery in Geddes, SD following the funeral service. Wake services will begin Monday at the White Swan Community Center in Lake Andes, SD.

Patricia Ann Hopkins Buechler was born on October 26, 1935 on the Ihanktuwan/Yankton Sioux Reservation to Edna Marie Reynolds and Kenneth Hopkins. Patricia passed away on her spirit journey at Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, SD on January 18, 2024 after being admitted due to health struggles.

Most people knew her as Patty or Pats. She was loved and respected by all those she would meet on lives journey.

Patty was born at Wagner IHS Hospital on October 26, 1935 and was raised at the White Swan Indian Community by her mother and grandparents Gary Post Reynolds and Mary Jane Archambeau Reynolds. She attended the White Swan Community School as well as the Marty Indian School. Patty cherished and talked often about growing up at White Swan Indian community, which was heartlessly flooded out by the Army Corp of Engineers in 1953 making a number of Yankton Sioux Families displaced and homeless.

Patty could remember the names of all their dogs and all their horses at White Swan Community throughout the years. Her and her brother, Kenneth "Butch" Hopkins would recount heartfelt stories about the White Swan Community, including the cannery and her grandpa making her round up the cattle. I, her son composing this obituary, shares these stories in detail to my children and grandchildren as Mamma would tell them in detail. These adventurous stories are part of her legacy to her loved ones, including all her fellow tribal members of the Yankton Sioux Tribe.

After the government flood out their homes, Patricia and family members moved out west to Rosebud Reservation were she eventually met and married her first husband, Cleveland Robert Neiss. They eventually parted ways.

Patricia then moved back to Yankton Reservation where she met and married the love of her life, Gordon Raymond Buechler Sr. They moved to Nebraska where they raised a bunch of good kids. Gordon was an accomplished carpenter, who loved his children and always provided for them and his beloved Patty, who he affectionately called "Ma". They were very happily married for almost fifty years.

In 1987, Gordon and Patty returned to the Yankton reservation, where they put up a home in Pickstown, where they spent the rest of their years. Sadly, Gordon passed away from cancer at his home in Pickstown in 2005 surrounded by loved ones.

Mom spent the later part of her golden years fighting for Justice and just compensation for her fellow White Swan survivors who were dispossessed and left, homeless by the flooding all those years ago. She was chair of the "Legitimate White Swan Survivors Group."

Patricia is survived by her sons Richard Lee Neiss (Nancy), Ronald L Neiss, Pamela Kelly Neiss, Rodney Dean Neiss, Gordon Raymond Buechler Jr (Janet) and Darwyn Scott Buechler (Bill), her brother Kenneth "Butch" Hopkins and her sisters Sandy Hopkins Abernathy (John) and Marlene Gun Shows. Also numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.

Precding her in death are her beloved husband Gordon Buechler, her loved son Robert Cleveland Neiss, her loved brothers Armoand Hopkins and Gary Hopkins, her precious Mother edna Marie Hopkins and Father Kenneth Hopkins/Donald Leisure. Her grandparents Gary Post Reynolds and Mary Jane Archambeau Reynolds and John and Tracey Lambert Reynolds and of course her faithful companion Stewie Scott Buechler.