WEASEL FAT, May

WEASEL FAT May Louise Weasel Fat (Standing Alone) – Aakaisttsiiksiiaki – Many Snake Woman passed away peacefully Monday, March 17 at the Kainai Continuing Long Term Centre, Standoff, Alberta. May was registered at the age of 6 on November 10, 1919 and believed to be 111 but 105 by the registered date.
May was born to Henry and Louise (nee Manyfingers) Standing Alone and is survived by her sisters Sophie Tailfeathers, and Nita Wells and her brother Alfred Standing Alone. She was predeceased by sisters Ruth Quesnelle, Margaret Goodrider, and Ada Fox, and brothers Andy, Allen, and Pete Standing Alone, and adopted brother Glen Rhodes.
She is survived by her children Daniel (Marci), Roy (Patsy), Geraldine (Joe McKay), Mary (late Darryl Little Bear) Justin, Donna (Larry) and Vernon and daughters-in-law Bertha Wells and Diane Weasel Fat. She is predeceased by her children Leonard Weasel Fat, Faye Tailfeathers, Clarence, Max and Maxine Weasel Fat and by her grandchildren Jason, Leonard, and Elliot Weasel Fat, Shelly Many Grey Horses, Leonard Grier and great grand-daughter Mikayla Tay Weasel Fat/Eagle Bear. May’s family of 152 include 12 children, 44 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren and 30 great-great-grandchildren.
May was born in Lethbridge, Alberta in the river bottom by the High-Level Bridge on Nov. 10, 1919. She was the oldest member of the Blood Tribe at 105 years old. She attended St. Paul’s Residential School on the Blood Reserve. At age 16 years her father Henry and the school’s Reverend S, H. Middleton arranged a marriage for her to Dan Weasel Fat who was 10 years older than her (born 1909). They were married on July 17, 1936 in a traditional Indian marriage ceremony. She had a dowry of a team of horses and wagon, 20 head of cattle, a white wall tent, and furnishings to begin their married life. When she had her first child Faye she was approached by a person in Cardston, Alberta, to have her portrait drawn by renowned artist Winold Reiss. He had an art school and invited artists from throughout the United States to St. Mary’s, Montana, a town located south of the US border and North of the Blackfeet Reservation. They did paintings of numerous Blackfeet/Blackfoot people and did two paintings of her; she was the last surviving person he painted. In their early years together May and Dan travelled to Detroit, Michigan by train to pick up their new vehicle and drove back home. Together they saw and experienced many changes in their lifetime in lifestyle and technology from the horse and buggy days to owning a vehicle, running water, heat, electricity, indoor bathroom, black and white TV, coloured TV, Satellite TV, and changes in farming and ranching.
May and Dan raised 12 children and numerous grandchildren. They first resided in Old Agency at the north end of the Blood Reserve and later moved south to the present location near the corner of Highway #2 and the Glenwood Highway. Together May and Dan were successful farmers and ranchers up to the time of Dan’s passing on November 8, 1992. May continued to own a few head of cattle and horses for a few years after. May was a busy person not one to sit around she was an active gardener always grew a garden with her children’s help. May had a green thumb who adorned her yard with tress and flowers every spring and summer. Every spring at branding time she always prepared a feast to serve to the branding crew who came by to help.
When the last of her 12 children went to school she became a member of the Blood Reserve School Bus Coop in 1962 owning a bus up to her passing. She was the oldest bus owner. May and Dan were active members of St. Paul’s Anglican Church and served on the Vestry. She was also an active member of the Standoff Elders group. Mother was no ordinary mother/person. Mom had exceptional skills in life management and humorous a personality to go with it. Always an upbeat person. Every person that knew mom say she was a strong, hard, working lady and she accomplished things. Retired Anglican Church Reverend Michael Tipper said mom was a wise old lady and he learned a lot from her. Her hobbies included sewing clothes and traditional outfits, beading, knitting, crocheting, gardening, cooking traditional meals, canning fruit, and home decorating. May enjoyed bingos, and attending pow-wows and rodeos with her late husband. May was a traditional dancer in her 60’s. She was the last surviving member of the Skinny Horse Society, becoming a member of this social group along with her husband in their earlier years. She enjoyed travelling and in her later years went with a group of Blood Reserve elders to visit Rome and England. She travelled twice to Hawaii with her late daughter Maxine and her husband.
May’s father Henry was a pipe holder along with his wife, daughter May and son Alfred they received the Long Time Medicine Pipe Bundle from Dick Soop which Henry gave 45-50 horses. She resided at the Kainai Continuing Long Term Centre for about 10 years up to her passing. The family of May Weasel Fat would like to thank Dr. Shay Eagle Bear, the nurses and healthcare staff for their care, she was a rare gem and we appreciate the care and assistance that was provided to her.
A wake service will be held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Blood Reserve, Alberta on Monday, March 24, 2025 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. A funeral service will be at St. Paul’s Anglican Church on Tuesday, March 25 at 11:00 am. Interment to follow at St. Paul’s cemetery, Blood Reserve.
To send a condolence please visit www.legacyfuneralhome.ca