Anthony Heath Gourneau
June 15, 1997 – August 2, 2020

Funeral services for Anthony Heath Gourneau, 23, of Fort Thompson, SD, were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, at Diamond Willow Ministries of Fort Thompson, SD.
Wake services were held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020 and Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, at Diamond Willow Ministries of Fort Thompson, SD.
Burial was at the Lakeview Cemetery of Fort Thompson, SD.
Anthony Heath Gourneau began his journey to the spirit world on Aug. 2, 2020.
Anthony Heath Gourneau was born June 15, 1997, to Heath and Anna (Hopkins) Gourneau.
He was raised on the Crow Creek Reservation of South Dakota all his life. He couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. He loved the land and the river and the wide open space where he felt his spirit was free.
Anthony attended elementary, middle and most of his high school years in Chamberlain, SD. He made many friends throughout his school years and loved football more than anything, receiving the All Nations All Conference Award in 2015.
He enjoyed track and field. Anthony was a member of the South Dakota High School Rodeo Association, the South Dakota Rodeo Association and Indian Nationals Finals Rodeo. He was a bareback rider for four years. In his last year, he went to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, WY, and was a South Dakota qualifier for trap shoot. Anthony placed 24th out of 130 finalists from 47 states and three countries. He kicked butt down there. We were so proud.
Anthony was so full of ambitions starting at a very young age. His dad was his hero and Anthony always wanted to learn all he could from him.
They led to passions that became a part of his life. He lived so high spirited, there was not enough time in each day to do the things he enjoyed. He worked the summers at Thiel’s Collision Center and wanted to be there to help during weekends and breaks while he was in college.
In 2017, Anthony attended Lake Area Vo-Tech at Watertown, SD, for two years, receiving his diploma in automotive technology. Right after his graduation, Anthony was hired at Willrodt Ford in Chamberlain, SD. His boss was Frank Willrodt and he thought Anthony was a very talented young man.
Anthony was dedicated to his job and was always the first one out the door every morning and the last one home every evening, as his love for the gym always came right after he clocked out from work and boasting that he was an amateur body builder and always flexing his muscles.
Anthony was a big inspiration to a lot of people.
More than anything Anthony loved being with his family. He was always reminiscing with his big sister, Destiny with lots of laughter and tedious argument. It was a special bond that only they shared that could not be broken, even after accidentally running his sister over with a four-wheeler.
Anthony spent most of his time with his little brothers, Andy and Jed. He was always teaching them to hunt, fish and shoot guns. He was always helping his little bros fill their buck tags first, then his.
Most of all, it was his brother, Andy who was always right by Anthony’s side. They did everything together and were inseparable. Andy had to learn quick as he is three years younger than Anthony but grew to be bigger than him though. They loved guns and shooting. They were always target shooting and were always up for a good challenge. Lately they were in the kitchen with their mom, teaching her about smoking foods, anything and everything they could, mostly meats and they always turned out awesome.
Anthony and his brother, Andy recently gained a passion for Harley Davidson motorcycles and have been riding together a lot lately on their HD motorcycles. They had plans of riding to Sturgis, SD, with their friend,
Kyle Campbell Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, staying the weekend, riding and hanging with their older cousin, Tucker Gourneau while out in Sturgis, SD.
Anthony always made time for his nephew, Noah and loved his new niece, Serenity.
We always knew that with each other, we could accomplish anything.
Grateful for having shared his life are his parents, Heath and Anna Gourneau of Fort Thompson, SD; a sister, Destiny Gourneau and Chris Anderson and nephew, Noah and niece, Serenity of Fort Thompson, SD; his
brothers, Leander (Andy) Gourneau of Fort Thompson, SD, and Jedediah Gourneau of Fort Thompson, SD; his Lower Brule Gourneau family and all his many family, relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his Grandma Lorraine M. Gourneau; Great Grandma Ruby Blaine; Grandpas Steve Gourneau and Vilas Hopkins, Sr., an uncle, Vilas Hopkins, Jr.; his big brother, Adrian Gourneau and although there were many more, these are the ones he knew.
Hickey Funeral Chapel of Chamberlain, SD, was in charge of arrangements.
The obituary may be seen at www.hickeyfuneralchapel.com.