Karen June Thompson
January 7, 1953 - February 16, 2020

​Funeral mass for Karen June Thompson, 67, of Fort Thompson, SD, was held at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Fort Thompson, SD.
Two-night wakes were held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, and Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, both at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Fort Thompson, SD.
Burial was at Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery of Stephan, SD.
Karen June Thompson died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Society of Miller, SD.
Karen June Thompson was born Jan. 7, 1953, at Chamberlain, SD, to Chief William Schweigman and Cecelia Medicine Cedar.
She attended school at Fort Thompson Elementary of Fort Thompson, SD, Gann Valley, SD, and Immaculate Conception in Stephan, SD. She then went on to pursue a degree in police science at United Sioux Tribes in
Bismarck, ND. After graduating, she returned to work for the Fort Thompson Police Department as a police officer and then later took a position there as the radio dispatcher for many years. She worked for the courthouse as clerk of courts and for the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe as the T. W. E. P. T. director. Her retirement was due to illness.
Karen met and married Harold Wayne Thompson on Aug. 31, 1971. To this union, five children were born – Karrie Ann, Thomas Wayne, Kevin Todd, Karlene Denise and John Wayne.
Karen’s love for the Lord, God led her to Ellendale, ND, where she attended Trinity Bible College, then to the Central Dakota Bible College in Mobridge, SD. Karen attended classes for three years to become a Catholic
lay minister. She was most proud of this accomplishment.
She also accepted her traditional ways and became a traditional dancer which she enjoyed.
Karen was a dedicated and devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother who spent much of her time supporting, encouraging, instructing, protecting and challenging all her children and family.
Karen was known for always being there to help a person, whether it was a meal, place to stay or being that shoulder to cry on. She was a person who would listen and always offer advice. She never let you leave without saying a prayer for you.
She loved music of all kinds, her Pepsi and having a good cigarette.
Karen had been raising her son, Kevin’s daughters since his passing in 2015. She mourned for him and missed him dearly. After becoming seriously ill, it was her two special granddaughters, Karin Lee and Mary Elsa, who took care of her and became her primary caretakers.
Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Karrie and husband, Wally, Thomas and wife, Donelle, Karlene and husband, Keith and John and wife, Judy; special sons, Denver Bud and Erik Hislaw; godchildren,
Terrace Blaine, John Walking Bull and Garett Hawk; 18 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her older brothers and sisters; her mother, Cecelia Medicine Cedar; her father, William Schweigman; a son, Kevin; a grandson, Noah Thompson; sisters, Valerie, Delores, Linda and Ramona
and a brother, Isadore.
Luze Funeral Home of Highmore, SD, was in charge of arrangements.