Myrtle Ann Belcourt

Myrtle attended elementary and high school in Pierre and Flandreau, SD; Rocky Boy, Box Elder, Havre, Helena, and Great Falls, MT. She attended college in Dillon, Havre, and Billings, MT. Myrtle was an extremely intelligent person who loved learning and her education was not limited to the classroom. Myrtle was an avid reader who continued to learn throughout her life and traveled the world through her reading.

Myrtle often said she was a nomad and didn’t like to stay in one place for long. After graduating from high school, she moved to Seattle and then to southern California where she lived and worked for several years, moving around the greater Los Angeles area. She returned to Rocky Boy for a few years and then moved to Billings. This is where she met her long time companion Ace Lockwood and where they made a home for all their children. Myrtle was an activist and believed in equal rights for all. She became involved with the Billings Indian Center and served many years as the Chairperson of the board of directors. She worked tirelessly to make the Indian Center a place where people could get assistance and more importantly have a central location for socializing. Myrtle started and ran a bingo operation for the Indian Center for several years and this was where she met many of her “bingo buddies.” Myrtle taught herself how to make quilts which became one of her favorite hobbies until her eye sight would not allow her to continue. Myrtle grew tired of Billings and moved to Rocky Boy where she spent several years with her daughter Christina and her children. About the time she turned 70, Myrtle decided she needed to move around some more. She moved back to Billings and spent time with her daughter Kim and her family and later moved to Mesa where she spent time with her son Donny and his family.

Myrtle had a big heart and was generous to a fault. Her home was always open to family, friends, and strangers who needed a place to stay. Throughout her life’s journey she enjoyed meeting people and making new friends, always taking care to make people feel comfortable. Myrtle loved family gatherings, going to garage sales, playing scrabble and yahtzee, watching game shows on TV, doing crossword puzzles, watching NBA basketball, reading trashy romance novels, and wearing colorful socks, but most of all she loved to play bingo. “Grandma Myrt” as she was called by many, will be greatly missed.

Myrtle is survived by daughters Kim (Kenny) Nicholson, Christina Belcourt, and Tierra (Sylvester) Lockwood-Davis; sons Donny (Jolene) Belcourt, Eric (Iva) Lockwood, Larry Lockwood, and Cletus (Kerry) Lockwood; brothers Merle Belcourt, Robert “Sonny” Belcourt, and Kermit Corcoran; sisters Leota Standing Bear, Linda Belcourt, and Luanne Belcourt; 21 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents, one grandson, brothers Gerald “Chief” Belcourt, Levi “Jean” Belcourt, Duane Belcourt; sisters Elsie Geboe, Peggy Nagel, Tami Frost.

Cremation will take place. A memorial will be held in Mesa on Sunday November 3 at 7:00 a.m. (sunrise) at Melcher Mortuary Mission Chapel. Memorials will also be held in Billings and Rocky Boy with dates, times, and locations to be announced.

Melcher Mortuary Mission Chapel is assisting the family.