Elmer Whitepipe, 60, of Pierre and Dallas, died unexpectedly in his sleep at his home in Pierre on Friday, June 9, 2006.

Elmer DeWayne Whitepipe was born to Charles and Lorraine (Prue) Whitepipe Sr. in Okreek, on April 12, 1946, the second eldest of six children. He was a well-educated man, attending Gregory schools and Taft Prep School in Connecticut, graduating in 1966. After earning a scholarship to attend Taft Prep School, Elmer's parents held a Lakota ceremony for him where he earned his Lakota name of Cetan Wakan or "Holy Hawk." Attending Taft was quite an accomplishment since his mother had to keep him home his first year of elementary school because he knew no English and only spoke Lakota. After graduating from Taft, Elmer attended Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn.

Elmer married Judith K. (Leonard) Crouch on Jan. 23, 1971. From that point, he worked for the Community Action Program in Lake Andes, the United Sioux Tribes, the Rosebud Housing Authority in Rosebud, and, for the past 29 years, the South Dakota Housing Development Authority in Pierre. He was appointed to the South Dakota Housing Development board of directors by Gov. Richard Kneip. One of the accomplishments that he was proudest of was earning his certificate of qualification to become a certified property manager in June of 1993.

Known to most as "Buzz," Elmer enjoyed life through many hobbies and interests. He loved to hunt and fish and to tell stories about different excursions of the outdoors with several different friends over the years. He also enjoyed teaching about hunting and fishing to his children and looked forward to doing the same with his grandchildren. He had a great appreciation for astronomy and loved watching the weather as a certified storm spotter for the National Weather Service. He was an avid ham radio operator and a member of the Pierre Amateur Radio Club. He was a police officer in his younger years and had a great appreciation for police work along with his involvement in martial arts. He was a magistrate for the city of Gregory for several years in the 1970s, and he was a licensed pilot, making his first solo flight in April of 1972. He was a history buff and loved to read or watch television programs about historical events. He had been a member of the Berean Church in Gregory since 1973.

Beyond his hobbies, Elmer was considered a wonderful family man. He was dedicated to his parents and his siblings and their families, as well as to his own wife and children. He was reliable and dependable and always encouraged others to stay focused and keep learning from accomplishments, mistakes, and each other. In the last five years, he enjoyed his grandchildren and always looked forward to time spent with them.

The one thing most people will probably remember about "Buzz," is how he really appreciated a good joke or prank, even those played on him. People loved to try to get even with him for pranks he'd played on them, but most of the time they found out that they were no match for his quick wit or cunning planning.

Survivors are his wife, Judie, Dallas; three daughters, Carrie (Jeff) Howard of Woonsocket, Suzanne (Jim) Kahler of Lake Andes, and Jennifer Crouch of Dallas; two sons, Tim (Jessica) Crouch of Sioux Falls and John Crouch of Dallas; two grandchildren, Erica and Blake Howard of Woonsocket; his father, Charles Sr. of Gregory; five siblings, Lillian (Wayne) Middlesworth of Winner, Charles Jr., Gayle and Gary, all of Gregory, and Bryan of Sioux Falls; his mother-in-law, Sylvia Leonard of Dallas; one brother-in-law, John (Cheryl) Leonard, Jr. of Omaha, Neb; several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lorraine; his father-in-law, John Leonard, Sr., and one brother who was stillborn.