Atlas J. Sobrepena-George, age 28 of Helena (2024)

Atlas “Bugs” Josepe Sobrepena George, Hanté Wašté Hokšíla, Good Cedar Boy, began his journey home to the Star Nation on the evening of July 27, 2024.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Atlas was born on February 13, 1996, in Helena, Montana, to Jim George and Heather Sobrepena and became their entire preoccupation for five years. From the evening he came to us, instructing us in his little mouse spirit squeaks and taking in this world with his milky eyes, he brought with him an incredible prayer song of love, kindness, and presence that he shared freely throughout his life. Named so that he would know the path of his feet, Atlas primarily spent his younger years at George Gulch of Canyon Ferry surrounded by a loving multigenerational extended family. Many epic outdoor adventures and rascally varmint hunts were instigated by Atlas, his cousins, their Grandma Jo, and his dad, Jimmy Ray. He grew from baby to teen in a place and space where his curiosities were fed, his soul was nurtured, and his relationships with relatives, friends, and the world around him were precious. He was an eager and often companion to both Grandpas Bill and Sonny, entertaining their stories and stewing in their good-hearted instruction. Early on, Atlas picked up music, cooking, and nature as medicine and a way to experience, interpret and share life with others.

Accelerated and restless, Atlas left his family at 16 to go on a walk-about first to Butte, then in a wider arc to Huntington Beach, California, and Packwood, Washington, where he found the Cascade Mountains, a wild, well-read redhead, fellow musicians, a community, and a range of choices from good to tragic. Along the way, Atlas made kin, including his ever-faithful hunka brother, Rodney LaFromboise, his guardian angel, Nanci Sobrepena, and protectors, Rob Moren and Tamara Kolvoord.

Atlas’ life experiences humbled him in a sacred way. In early 2019, after a tragic accident, we brought a broken and haunted 22-year-old Atlas home to Montana. Prayed over by Joe LaFountaine and Mike Catches Enemy, Atlas found his way back to himself through our Lakota ways of knowing and being and our ceremonies. Atlas learned to walk a sacred red road of sobriety and fatherhood- these ways, because of who and how he loved, were precious to him. We are especially thankful to Ron and Mary Black Bird and our Rattling Hail Sundance Hoco*ka. Wopila tanka (abundant thanks) for helping us find a way to walk in this world.

There was no stranger to Atlas. He greeted all people with a beautiful shy smile and a handshake, a hug, a hand up, tobacco, or a fiver. Even from the time he was little, he cared more about the well-being of others than for himself. He loved a good underdog.

If you find yourself missing Atlas, find a way to honor the way he tried to walk in his life- give a helping hand, create a space between your arms and heart for people to be safe, loved, and cherished, kiss babies, share what you have with our unhoused relatives, accept and love people where they are at, stop in and visit your grandmas on the way to work, let your mom (but don’t make her) fret over you, walk in truth, wear your siblings clothes without asking permission, let nature doctor you, play music with others, learn things, read voraciously, and live peaceably with others.

Surviving family include the apple of his eye, son, Cache Ceferay Sobrepena-Kraft, parents, Jim George and Heather Sobrepena, younger siblings, Blaze (Tanaya) Sobrepena-George, Moases and Nieva Sobrepena-George, co-parent, Kat Kraft, nephew Maddox Masté Sobrepena-George, grandmothers, Susan Sobrepena and Carolyn Joan George, sister-cousins, Jessica George, Alyssa (Dillon) George, and JoElla (Christian) Patrick-George, and hunka brother, Rodney LaFromboise. He is also survived by his special Lafferty aunties, Eileen Briggs, Diane DuBray, Donita Fischer, and Julie Lafferty, who came to us and prayed us back to them, and who help us grow in our Lakota ways of knowing and being.

Surviving George and Thomas family include, Thomas (April) George, Marta Bromlie, Willow (Brett) George, Nicole George, Jennifer (David) Haight, Loretta George, Michelle George, Steve Kaster, Vickie Stone, and Linda Patrick. George cousins not already mentioned include Casey (Amanda) George, Anginette and Nicholas Bromlie, Chinook (Jacob) Bromlie-Estey, Rainelle (Joel) Burgard, Nicole Bromlie, Andre Randall, Naytha Ragged Robe, Evelynne Brewster, Rubin Ackerman, Joshua (Kendra) Pocha, Tessa Nordhal, Teri (Mark) Jasmyn, and Morgan Lorenz; Eric McIntosh; Rachel (Dillon) Beveridge; Samantha, John, Zane, Mya, and Cody Wells, Keith and Mackenzie Bright; Shane McIntosh, Amber (Paul) Smith, Jared Piilola, Skyler, and Liam McIntosh; and the Pocha, Richey, Haskell Thomas, Eddie George, and Bailey families.

Surviving Sobrepena-Kuipers-Lafferty family includes Uncle Mike (Corie) Sobrepena, Uncle G. Samuel (Todd) Walker, Nancy and Virginia Sobrepena, and Idaho Uncle, Sid Tucker. Cousins include Chelsea McDowell, Courteney and Cailey Sobrepena, Matthew Spacher, Wyatt Garber, Liam Sorenson, and extended Kuipers and Sobrepena relatives. In addition to special Lafferty Aunties, Uncles Ross DuBray and Earp Fischer, and cousins Ashley (Ryan), Everley, and Paxton Patterson; Amanda (Brice), and Elroy Walters; Courtney (Jarrid) and Elouise Claussen; Scottie (Alycia), Trey, and Louie Fischer; and the Bison-Encarnacion and Lesmeister families.

Atlas is preceded by Grandpas Ceferino “Sonny” Sobrepena, William “Bill” George, and Frank Russeau, Aunties Julie Belle Capps, Antionette McIntosh, and Linda Lynch, Uncles Roy and Douglas George, Cousins Hunter Bailey, Michael George, and Breanna Jenkins, Great Aunt Dolly Bailey, Unci Mona DuBray, Great Grandma Arda Thomas, and Great Uncles Tommy and George Sobrepena.

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

~ Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, On Children

Pilamaya, Tuncasila (thank you, Grandfather).

We love you so much son. We will meet you in the stars.