Daryl Wright I, Ahs-ki ki-iw (Earth Eagle), aka Buck and Black Dog, 70, passed away due to natural causes at Deaconess Hospital in Bozeman.  Wake services will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 24, 2022.  A Rosary will be said at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 25, 2022, and his Traditional funeral service will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 26, 2022.  All services will be held at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Rocky Boy.  Burial will follow in the Wright Family Cemetery.  Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Daryl was born on August 9, 1952, in Fort Lewis, Washington, to Mary Jane Demontiney.  He was raised all over the country.  Daryl was on the Pine Ridge Reservation and fought at the second Battle of Wounded Knee, and he told many stories about what happened there.  Worked for the Chippewa Cree Tribe in various administrative positions from 1978 to 2009, as the National Tribal Development Association Director, Water Rights Director who foresaw the need to pipe water to Rocky Boy and Hill County, MNI SOSE Executive Director, and Chippewa Cree Tribal Court Public Defender & Lay Advocate.  He was the owner of Brothers & Sisters Grant Writing business and editor of Black Dog Speaks a Rocky Boy newspaper that wrote news articles about government events & decisions and not afraid to tell it like it was.  He was also the owner and operator of the first fireworks stand in Rocky Boy.  After he retired in 2009 due to his health issues, Daryl attended college, graduating magna cum laude with class distinction at Montana State University -Northern, and continued onto Montana State University and was one class away from finishing his Masters Degree.  He recently went back to work part time at Native Grown doing what he called his "dream job."

Daryl was a kind and gentle man to those who deserved it, but very protective of his family and friends and brutally honest.  He treasured his culture and the young people of the Chippewa Cree Tribe.  To that end, he was the organizer of first youth traditional pow wow, the organizer of Rocky Boy's first youth basketball, organizer of the first Tiny Tot traditional Pow Wow, and a youth baseball coach. Daryl fought for Native American rights and assertively confronted anyone who he thought treated him or Natives badly.  He always advocated for the underdog, and was willing to help anyone.  He loved to travel, especially with his wife Elinor, taking her to places he's always wanted to go, and even went parasailing at over 50 years old.  He loved his garden and canning salsa to give away, cooking, drying and smoking jerky, playing and zoning out at casinos, but he especially loved spending time his family and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Jane (Demontiney) Rego; father, Tony Rego; sisters, Lorraine Pegram and Valeria Hernandez; and brothers, Dr. Ervin "Bobby" Wright and Dale Wright.

Daryl is survived by his wife of over 40 years, Elinor Nault-Wright; daughters, Autumn Wright, Marquita Wright, and Lilly Gopher; sons, Andre Wright and Daryl G (Tylyn) Wright II; grandchildren, Morgan Jordan, Vincent Obey-Wright, Kaylee Jordan, Neepin Houle, Amya Wright,  Daryl Jayce Wright III, Nitanis Houle, Phalen Stump, Kamryn LaFromboise, Noelle Wright, Brennon LaFromboise; sister, Antoinette (Gary) Dog Taking Gun; adopted brothers, Sid (Suzette) Mills and Ricky (Theda) Morsette; Godfather, Pete Guthneck; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and other extended family and friends.