Funeral services for Ernest Lyle Ducheneaux age 69 of Eagle Butte will be at 10 AM, Thursday, September 26, 2013 at the Eagle Butte Auditorium. Burial will be at Mossman Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Family and friends are meeting at 5 PM Wednesday at the 4 mile junction and an all night wake will begin at 6:30 at the cultural center. Lyle passed away Saturday, September 21, 2013 at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
Ernest Lyle Ducheneaux was born July 29, 1944 to Tuffy and Mary (Collins) Ducheneaux at the Cheyenne River Old Agency. He attended school at the Old Agency, Stephen and Cheyenne Eagle Butte. He grew up on his parent's ranch in Promise, SD where he helped his dad with a rancher's daily duties.
He broke horses for his dad which led to his desire to ride broncs. He got his first bronc saddle from Jim O'Leary. He would practice on his father's old mares daily. He would put his saddle on them and pull his own flank. When he was ready to start rodeoing he called on his brother in law Bob Hagel and they hit the rodeo trail.
They competed in a lot of SDRA rodeos. In the words of Bob Hagel "It was tough to buck him off". He watched him cover some well-known broncs from that era such as Big Red, Cedar Pass and Bow Wow. Later on he joined cowboy forces with Justin and Roger Lawrence and Larry Mendoza.
While on the rodeo trail in Fort Worth, TX Lyle, Roger and Larry were a few blocks away the day President Kennedy was shot. Lyle either placed or won at quite a few of rodeos he'd entered.
His four oldest children remember watching him ride. Lyle helped teach his nephews, young cowboy friends and his sons how to ride broncs; Clayton Hagel, Romey Gunville, Tater Ward, Rome Wager, Bill and JR Knight just to name a few.
Lyle met his future wife Betsy Hunt at a Jr. High dance in Cheyenne Eagle Butte. He and Betty danced to Running Bear. They were married on March 2, 1965 in Promise, SD.
They began ranching in Armstrong County shortly after their marriage, where he continued to live and ranch until his death.
To their union 6 children were born Carlyle, Duffy, Ford, Connie, Sammi and Keni.
Lyle got an itch for horse racing in the mid 1970's. It began with the Novelty race (walk, trot, run). He asked his father to borrow his horse named Gambler and entered the race.
Lyle won the race that day and from then on he hit the race tracks. He purchased horses from Ernest Hammrich, Dean Hansen, Barry Hutchenson, Kenneth "Chub"Heltzel, Kenneth Coops and Larry Carlson.
His horse Pity Pat trained by Dean Hansen went on to win several races on big named tracks. His first Indian Relay Team consisted of Old Paint, Bob and Gambler. This began a whole journey in his life. Big Red, Mello Yellow, Alka-Seltzer, Wind Chaser, Quiet Gift, Polo, Norma and Nuisance were the horses that made up his infamous Indian Relay strings for many years.
He traveled to Crow Fair in Crow Agency, MT and Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, WY yearly to compete, as well as Ft. Yates, ND and Faith, SD. But racing in the CRST Fair & Rodeo was the highlight of the year. People loved to watch Lyle's team and Lanny LaPlante's team race against each other.
Win or Lose they sure did put on a show. He won many trophies, blankets and buckles during his racing career.
He took the next step in his life when his grandchildren got old enough to start participating in school sports, school activities, rodeos, etc.
At that point his grandchildren were his priority. He never liked to miss anything they were in and if in some circumstance he happened to he always made it up to them with as much love and attention as he could give the next time he seen them. Lyle's door was always open for his family, friends and strangers.
When you entered his home you were always offered food or something to drink. His only requirement was if he needed help doing something right then or some time down the road you helped. No matter what is was Lyle was very proud of his family, not just his kids and grandchildren he always talked about his nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters and his mom and dad.
He loved to laugh and joke with everyone. Unless you were the butt of the joke, they were always pretty funny and he would always remind you of the joke wherever he seen you. No matter what it was Lyle was always in for a good time.
He will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his children: Carlyle & Bobbi Ducheneaux, Duffy Ducheneaux, Connie & Mark Knight, Sammi Ducheneaux & Donnie Farlee, Keni Jo Ducheneaux and the mother of his children Betsy Ducheneaux. Grandkids: Kelsey & Tee Knight, Kyler & Cody Ducheneaux, Lainey & Mackenin Peacock, Hailey & Brock Ducheneaux, Payden Peterson & Jayda Farlee, Karlee & Chancey Witt- Ducheneaux, Sherley Ducheneaux and Duffy Ducheneaux II Great Grandkids: Rynn Ducheneaux and Kale Ducheneaux Sisters: Mary Jane (Dick) Anderson, Sharon (Duane) Keller, Arlyce (Bill) Weintjes, Bunny Sue (Frankie) Thompson, Debbie (Ross) Lawrence, Audrey (Bob) Hagel, Lila Faye (Ronnie) Long, Brother: Tommy (Hilda) Ducheneaux and his aunt Edith Burrell.
He was preceded in death by: His parents Tuffy & Mary Ducheneaux, Son Ford Ducheneaux, Grandson Stetson Cooper Cavanaugh, Three sisters; Delores Ward, Phyllis Gunville and Marilyn "Butchie" Thompson, Brother Roman Ducheneaux, nieces Guyla Gunville, Claudine Ducheneaux, nephews TJ Ducheneaux and Matt Ducheneaux, Brother's in law; Dick Ward, Vincent Thompson and Delbert Lamb.