Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271023
Title: Clayton "Clay" S. Spotted Bear
Date: 5/9/1988-3/27/2024
Inscription/Marks: 5/9/1988
Summary: Clayton Shane Spotted Bear of Mandaree, ND, 35, passed away March 27, 2024. His funeral was held April 3, 2024, at Water Chief Hall in Mandaree. Interment was in the Spotted Bear family cemetery at Twin Buttes, ND.
Clayton Shane Spotted Bear, Holy Earth Hand Man (Awa Shaagi Xubaa Maceesh) born into Water Buster Clan, child of the Flint Knife Clan, was born to Lorenzo Kelly Spotted Bear and Doris Diane “DeeDee” Mossett on May 9, 1988, in Watford City, ND. Clay lived in Mandaree most of his life. He attended Mandaree Public School as well as New Town High School where he made many lifelong friendships. He was active in sports, participated in the Mandaree Native American dance club, and he especially loved being in theatrical plays. Clay found that music was his desire early in life.
Clay was part of the Mandaree music program in high school and they raised funds by hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner to travel to Disney World. That was an experience that he got to enjoy with his sister, Wind Spirit, and classmates. Clay was also a member of the Reservation Regulators, a multigenerational group of horseback riders put together by Ted and Sherry Lone Fight-Turner. They would ride in parades around North Dakota and partake in celebrations honoring our ancestors and homelands. While in middle school, their Mandaree Powwow club was invited to the Dartmouth Powwow in Hanover, NH. This was one of his favorite memories, as well as the time he traveled withWhite Lodge singers to California to perform the opening number for the Native American Movie Awards. Clay would say that this was all an experience of a lifetime.
Clay traveled to celebrations with his Phelan/Young Bear relatives singing with their drum group, White Lodge. He was also one of the original founders of the Young Bear Drum Group. He was active in sweat lodge ceremony and sun dance for much of his young life. His eldest brother Cory took him along to sun dances as a young boy and it was in this time when Clay was given his Hiraaca name Holy Earth Hand Man (Awa Shaagi Xubaa Maceesh) by his late grandmother, Sadie Mann (Young Bear). He was the smudge boy and fire keeper, always making sure the dancers were looked after and the fire kept burning. Clay loved his culture and traditional ways of life. You’d often hear him greet his friends and family with “Doosha” or “Maabi Cagiic” and when he was thankful for something, he’d say “Many Maads” which was his way of saying Maacigiraac (Thank You).
On September 10, 2008, Clay and Kris Wells welcomed their beautiful daughter Journey Jade “JJ,” into the world. Journey was Clay’s pride and joy. He cherished the time he spent with JJ. He loved taking her to the lake, to celebrations where they’d dance in the circle together.
He’d bring JJ to family gatherings so she could be around her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. He’d let Journey drive his truck, which is how she learned to drive. Journey said she will always remember how goofy her dad was, like the time he drove them all the way from his house to the store in reverse. Clay was so proud of his daughter and all her achievements. Journey is an exceptional basketball player, and he would say, “she’s going to be the first woman in the NBA.” Clay loved his daughter very much. She was his greatest gift in life.
Clay had a close relationship with his siblings and parents. They all had favorite memories with their brother, like lounging on the big foam mattress in the living room and watching movies together, going for long bike rides out in the hills, having game nights, and enjoying his mom and dad’s delicious home cooked meals at the table together. Clay’s parents enjoyed taking him and his siblings to the lake. He loved going camping with his family at McKenzie Bay, Mossett Bay, or Spotted Bear Camp. This became a part of Clay’s adulthood, as you’d often find him out on the water in his kayak, taking in all the beauty of Mother nature.
Clay loved to visit with his friends and family. He particularly enjoyed visiting his parents and cooling a cup of coffee with them, while either watching football, playing guitar with his dad, or listening to stories his mom and dad would share. He liked to tease and make people laugh. He was one of the most kind and caring individuals to anybody he came across. Clay was always willing to help people in need and could be seen from time to time cleaning up his community, maintaining vehicles, fixing fences, planting trees, and he always found time to tidy up his mom and dad’s yard. He was truly a “jack of all trades.”
Clay was a passionate musician who loved playing guitar alongside many of his friends and family, especially his dad and brothers. He could play and sing almost any song you’d request. He played for various venues or at family events. In his early 20s Clay co-founded the Ridge Road band with Jordon and Gordon Hale, Lane Standish and Gordon White Owl and they performed throughout MHA nation. If you had a guitar at your home when he’d visit, you could be sure he’d pick it up and play you a few songs. He knew how to bring your heart joy with his singing and guitar playing.
Clay had many friends, but his best friend was his trusty companion, George. That was truly a friendship between a man and dog. George and Clay did everything together and they shared the same adventurous spirit. Everyone knew George just like everyone knew Clay. Now they are together again, playing fetch, running along the lake shores, hunting, fishing, and just living it up in the Happy Hunting Grounds.
Clay will be remembered for his good nature and easy-going ways. His memory will live on through his mini me, Journey Jade and through the stories and memoirs shared by his family, friends, and all who loved him, and most definitely through his love for music that he shared with us all.
Clay is survived by his parents, DeeDee Mossett and Kelly Spotted Bear; siblings, Cory (Sierra) Spotted Bear, Delmar Sheppard, Denver (Jade) Spotted Bear, Justin Spotted Bear, Hjalmer Spotted Bear, Wind Spirit (Jess) Spotted Bear, Olivia “Ollie” Spotted Bear; daughter, Journey Spotted Bear; many nieces, nephews, and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Lorenzo “Larry” Spotted Bear and Olive “Ollie” Sholaas; maternal grandparents, Clifford Mossett Sr. and Celina Young Bear; sister, Vernette “Boe” Wolff; nephew, Michael Grieves.
Red ID: FND_I_78514 Image ID: 596212 Image Notes: FND001 271023
