Daphne J. Alden

December 21, 1953 ~ May 30, 2024 (age 70)

Daphne Jean Alden, of Lodge Grass, passed away surrounded by her loving family on May 30th, 2024. Amajean, as she was more commonly known, was born on December 21, 1953, to Joseph Morrison Alden Sr. and Ruth Backbone Alden in Hardin MT. Her Crow name was "Holds on to her Prayers" given by Sandra Shield. She was a member of the Big Lodge Clan and a child of the Bad War Deeds Clan. Amajean was dedicated to the Lodge Grass Community and the Valley of the Chiefs District. Her commitment to her family, her church, and her community was well known and truly appreciated!

 Her Indian name, "Holds on to her Prayer," captures who Amajean was as a person. Wherever she was in life, she never forgot to pray while staying open to all forms of prayer. She was a baptized catholic, who called the Baptist church her home church, and had a deep appreciation for prayer meetings and Pentecostal music. She also participated and fully embraced the sun dance and sweat lodge ways. The same openheartedness and acceptance that she approached prayer was the way she approached everything in life.

 Amajean always possessed an adventurous and charismatic spirit and displayed this in everything she did. She attended Lodge Grass School through her sophomore year, then courageously left her home, and moved to Minnesota to attend the College of Saint Teresa. During her time there, she made many friends with her classmates, nuns, and priests. Despite being an unconventional student, she worked very hard and was a part of the inaugural wave of students to attend Little Bighorn College.

Amajean had a love for knowledge that went beyond the classroom. As a young adult, she worked in secretarial positions for legal professionals who never failed to notice her attention to detail and ingenuity in facing any challenge head-on. Above all, she valued serving her community in a variety of professions. She worked as a cook at the Lodge Grass Head Start and the Lodge Grass Senior Center. There, she enjoyed learning about nutrition and getting to know both the younger and older generations. She was also a caretaker at the First Crow Indian Baptist Church. Amajean took great pride in keeping the building clean, organized, and decorated so the community could gather and be close to the Lord. She displayed her work ethic in everything she did. Often telling her children one of her famous one-liners: “If you are going to do something, do it right!”  

In her free time, Amajean developed her passion for art and creating art. She delighted in singing and listening to music. All her children remember her home as one filled with music of any genre, from the latest country hits to gospel bluegrass, paired with her singing at the top of her lungs. Her appreciation for the arts extended to many other hobbies including sewing and designing. One of her favorite activities was finding innovative ways to dress her children in the latest fashions on a budget.

Daphne was blessed with four children: Nathan Joseph Alden, Lauri Dawn Kindness, Joseph Henry Kindness, and Ivy Rose Three Irons, and raised one grandchild, Imani Kindness-Coleman, as her own. Amajean also helped raise many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. She continuously kept them close to her heart and never failed to remember stories and fun anecdotes about each and every one. She adored watching her children and grandchildren participate in extracurricular activities and was their biggest supporter, cheering them on in anything they did.

Amajean had a love and devotion for her family that was at the core of all her actions. She dedicated many years to caring for her mother and felt blessed to be able to spend so much time with her at the end of her mother’s life. In addition, she fiercely and loyally loved her siblings. During family functions you could always find her surrounded by her sisters, helping cook a delicious meal and sharing a story that never failed to garner a laugh.   

If you knew Amajean, you knew you had a true confidante and friend. She enjoyed visiting and always had a funny story to share or time to lend an ear to listen. Through her different experiences in life, she had a deep sense of humility that put people at ease. She never judged and instead always made space to listen, a shoulder to cry on if needed, and advice if wanted.  

Daphne was preceded in death by her beloved parents, her precious son Nathan Joseph Alden, her brothers Alvin, Joseph and John Belo Alden, Ronald Falls Down Sr. and her sister Amber Lavonne Tall Bear, nephews: Gregory, Alvin, and Clarence "Indian" Three Irons, Gary Joe Whiteman, Shylon Alden, and niece, Brandi Alden.

She is survived by her children Lauri Dawn, Joseph Kindness (Hydee), and Ivy Stewart (Marlin); her grandchildren Imani Kindness-Coleman, Cadence Lyric, Hunter Jude, Jeremyah Joseph, and Charlie Roan Kindness, and Alvin Leon Stewart and adopted children: Tevin Nomee and Dimitri Not Afraid, and many others.

Her sisters are Frances, Clara, Joselyn (Clarence) Three Irons, Anita (Dana) Old Coyote, Laurie Ann Alden, Nema (Charlie) Alden-Scott Jr., and many nieces and nephews. Her many friends and extended families the Backbone, Bird, Birdinground, Bear Below, Bloodman, Buffalo, Driftwood, Good Luck, LaForge, Left Hand, Little Bears,  Little Nest, Morrison, Old Bear, Old Dwarf, Old Horn, Plenty Hoops, Pretty on Top, Sees the Ground, Walks. Our family is large, so we apologize if we have forgotten anyone. We would like to also pay special recognition to all the nurses and CNAs who cared for her, you are loved and dearly appreciated. Funeral services will be at 11:00 am, June 3rd at the First Crow Indian Baptist Church in Lodge Grass, MT. Interment following in the Lodge Grass Cemetery. Bullis Mortuary has been entrusted with the arrangements.