Harold "Dunesy" White

Harold “Dunesy” Robert White, Jr., (Namesake: Thunderbird Man), Rose with the Sun on December 3, 1953, in Red Lake, MN, and began his Spiritual Journey on Friday, August 10, 2018, at Sanford Bemidji Hospital in Bemidji, MN, at the age of 64.

Dunesy was born to Harold R. White, Sr., and Betty Lussier White Parkhurst.  He attended St. Mary’s Mission School in Red Lake, MN. He lived his life in Red Lake, MN, Odanah, WI, and Minneapolis, MN.  He was an Ogichidaa of the American Indian Movement member since 1971 and currently was Co-Chairman of the Red Lake Chapter Northern Eagle.  He was a pipe carrier and traditional dancer and had a strong spirituality and belief in the customs and traditions of our Anishinabeg people.  He loved Red Lake and had a great sense of humor and many talents as a musician, writer, poet, artist, motivational speaker and counselor.  He knew how important our traditions, language and culture are to healing; he encouraged and inspired many to mino bimaadiziwin-to live a good life and to stay on the misko miikana- red road for healing.  He was a faithful member of Alcoholics Anonymous with over 20 years of sobriety and was a certified Level 3 Chemical Dependency Counselor and took great pride in helping others.  He was a long-time member of the Region 2 Arts Anishinabe Art Initiative Council, on the steering committee for the Blandin Foundation Reservation Community Leadership Program, Watermark Art Center Anishinabe Advisory Committee for the Miikanan Gallery, which he helped name, and frequent invited speaker and advisor for sobriety, wellness and cultural events.  He loved to meet people, visit, laugh and tell stories and will be deeply missed by his many friends. He treasured his family and friends and maintained contact with many through his posts on social media.  

Those left to celebrate his life and mourn his passing include, his children, Anthony (Cookie) Erickson, Daniel (Christin) Erickson, Jeffrey Defoe, Harold R. White III, Tahnee White, Nancy Thunder, Morningstar Taylor, and Marla “MJ” Brown; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; mother, Betty Parkhurst; brothers, Vincent White, James White, Ronald (Darla) White, Billy White, and Sean White; sisters, Angela White, Juliet White, Danielle (Charles) White, and Tanya White; special aunts, Eleanor, Audrey, Beverly, and Barbara; and Kingbird relatives; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Family members waiting to welcome Dunesy are his grandparents, Charles and Jane Lussier and Raymond and Fannie West White; father, Harold R. White, Sr., brothers, Rick and Avery; nieces, Julie Ann White, Nicole O’Claire, and Ambria Aragon; nephews, James Drouillard III and Marcus Matthew White; and close friend, Frank “Fudd” Stately, Jr.

An overnight wake for Dunesy will begin at 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 13, 2018 and continue until his 10:00 a.m., funeral service on Tuesday, August 14th all being held at Red Lake Humanities Center in Red Lake, MN.  Spiritual Advisor: Allen Hardy. Interment will be at the Blake Family Plot immediately following the service.  Active pall bearers are: Llwellyn “John” Kingbird, Sr., Doug Kingbird, Mark Aquash, Ty Ty Stately, Floyd Iceman, Tim Goodteacher, and Corky Clark and honorary pall bearers: Vin, Jim, Ron, Billy, Sean, and HR White, Dan and Anthony Erickson, Keith Lussier, Lisa Bellanger, Margot Kelsey, Lonnie Blake, KP Selzler, Mary Ringhand, and all of his AA family. 

Dunesy’s care has been entrusted to Northern Peace Funeral Home of Walker.  Online condolences for the family may be left at www.northernpeace.com

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