Cecelia E. Lankford

Cecelia E.

Lankford

DODSON-Cecelia E. Lankford, 101, a homemaker, died Monday, April 6, 2015 at the Hi-Line Care Center.

Rosary was on Thursday, April 9, at Sacred Heart Parish in Dodson. Mass was Friday, April 10 at the Dodson High School. Interment was held in the James Cemetery South of Dodson. Condolences for the family may be left atwww.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com

Cecelia (Ereaux) Lankford was born on the Fort Belknap Reservation on November 1, 1913 to Frank and Mary (Adams) Ereaux. She is an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre Tribe given name is Assiniboine Women. She was also named “Tulip” by her dad as she would always sing “Tiptoe through the Tulips” as a little girl.

Cecelia is the mother of 14 children, dozens of grandchildren, and many more great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Throughout her life she worked hard to support her children, taking in laundry, baked bread for St. Paul’s Mission School, raised a large garden and canned her own food. She worked many jobs including assistant cook at Dodson, was director of Ft. Belknap Senior Citizen Program and operated two different cafés. She was an original member of the governor’s council on aging. During WW 2 she was part of a group of women known as “Rosie the Riveters” working on war planes in San Francisco, California. She helped restart Ft. Belknap’s mid-winter fair in the 60’s, along with several other determined women of Ft. Belknap.

Cecelia to lived independently in her own home in Dodson until the middle of December 2014 when she requested to move to the rest home in Malta, where she lived until her death. Family members remained by her side for the last several days of her life. She was a very devout Catholic and prayed the rosary at least once a day. She passed away with her rosary in her hand and two grandchildren by her side.

Cecelia was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Mary Ereaux; her husband Clyde Lankford; her children Gene James (infant); Frank James, and Sylvia (James) Wilke; brothers Lazure Ereaux, and sisters, Francis Fox, Mary Kuntz, Vernie Matte, and Gracie Mardenez.

She is survived by her children; Kay Taylor, Dodson; Velma (Raymond) Broadhead, Murray, Utah .; John (Pete) James, Dodson; Jessie (Cranston) Hawley Harlem; Bruce (Faye) James, Havre; Judy Crowder, Malta; Jerry (Bonnie) Lankford, Dodson; Thomas (Carol) Lankford, Ronan; Ava Welch, Dodson; Billie Matthews, Malta; and Nancy (Gary) Tremblay, Malta.

Her eyes told you “You are a Miracle.”