<<< Darrell New Plenty Stars, 66, closed his eyes in sleep on Saturday night, August 10, 2013, to awaken with his Lord and Savior, Jesus, before morning dawned. The first words Darrell likely heard upon awaking may well have been: “Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:21)   Funeral services were held in Pine Ridge, SD, at Billy Hills Hall, on August 17, 2013. Three pastors officiated: Abraham Tobacco, Pedro Sharpfish, and Keith Rich.   Pallbearers were: Patrick Two Bulls, Darren Yellow Boy, James LaPointe, Renaldo Two Bulls, Kleo Warner, Lee Warner, Shawn Archilta, Alex White Plume, Jr., and Eric Mintun. Burial services followed at Wolf Creek Community Cemetery, Wolf Creek, South Dakota.   Darrell is survived by his wife; Evelyn Rose New of Pine Ridge, SD; Darrell New Jr. and Nada Archilta, both of Rapid, City, SD; April Little Brave of Wheatland, WY; Marella Burch of Casper, WY; and four grandchildren.    

AUGUST, 2013. on the "WHAT'S HAPPENING" PAGE, also mentions DARRELL NEW PLENTY STARS' Homegoing...

 

 

~ THE BOOK ~ 

DARRELL NEW PLENTY STARS' book traces Darrell's life from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota, where he was abandoned as an infant, through the Vietnam War, and back to the reservation just in time for the 1973 Wounded Knee Standoff between militants with the American Indian Movement (AIM) and Government Agents.  During those seventy long cold days and nights numerous Natives lost their lives as well as two FBI Agents.    

 

~ HIS  JOURNEY ~

This full blood Oglala Lakota (Sioux) tells of his rebellious teen years followed by a consuming anger after having suffered near fatal wounds in Vietnam, only to awaken shackled to a prisoner of war hospital cot back in the United States.  Adding insult to injury, with his identily restored, Darrell was then charged with murder.  Exonerated at last and finally

discharged from the Army, he returned to the reservation filled with hatred.  There he met and married Rose Lone Elk. Together the two took to the back roads, bypassing government roadblocks with supplies for AIM militants.  It was during that period, on a snowy night with the tribal war raging across the reservation while Federal Agents kept militants contained at Wounded Knee, that Darrell miraculously found (or was found by) the Lord.

 

~ FAMILY  HISTORY ~

Wars and battles have long been a part of Darrell New Plenty Stars' heritage.  In 1876 his great grandfather, Red Fish, took part in THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN, as did his wife Rose’ great grandfather, Little Soldier.  Afterward Little Soldier returned the reservation while Red Fish and his family joined Chief Big Foot’s band of some 300 men, women, and children.  They were still with Big Foot when the gaunt hungry Indians were shot down -- slaughtered -- at Wounded Knee.  It was December of 1890, known today as THE WOUNDED KNEE MASSACRE.  Darrell’s grandfather, son of Red Fish, who was twelve at the time, was one of only a few who escaped the massacre.  Red Fish's son grew up to become an itinerant Christian minister, using the name "Rev. James Red Fish".  He lived on into his eighties, dying the year Darrell turned thirteen. 

 

To read a sampling of Darrell’s story, click on BOOK EXCERPT above.  To order a copy of "From the Flames of Wounded Knee to the Center of God's Will",  click on ORDER BOOK.

The first half of Darrell New Plenty Star's book title ..."From the Flames of Wounded Knee"... speaks of the buildings US Government Agencies fire bombed - including churches - during the 1973 Wounded Knee Standoff with militants of the American Indian Movement. The last half of the title, ..."to the Center of God's Will" ... represents Darrell's thirty years as a Christian pastor/shepherd of his people.