Hits The Ground Running Boy

Robert Lester Young Dog, Sr. was born on April 4, 1971 in Pine Ridge, SD to Lester Young Dog and Esther Yellow Bull. Robert made his journey to the Spirit World on November 4, 2025 near Porcupine, SD.
Robert attended elementary and high school at Overfelt High School in San Jose, CA where he and his younger brother, Leslie, participated in Cross Country Track. Robert earned and received many awards, ribbons, and trophies. In the Fall of 1989, Robert attended Pine Ridge High School and after the death of his mother, Esther, he left South Dakota to live with his uncle Amos in Las Vegas, NV where he graduated High School and was on the Honor Roll and also had a paper route. Robert was determined to graduate high school so he rode his bike 9 miles to attend. Robert was extremely smart, after graduating, he moved back to Pine Ridge with his father, Lester. Robert was very friendly, always smiling, always happy to see his relatives & friends, very humble, loved to laugh, tease, and very helpful to who ever asked for his help.
Robert is survived by his son, Robert "RJ" Young Dog, Jr.; siblings, Carlin Red Blanket, Ricky Red Blanket, Waverly Chief, Burton Chief, and Vern Chief; hunka brother, Paulo Veltri; hunka mother, Roberta Spencer; hunka family, Haroldine Jack & Family, Lisa DeLeon & Family, and Clemente DeLeon & Family; sister, Dora Young Dog; nieces, Theodora Chief, Magen Chief, Diandra Chief, Sky Rose Clay, Carline Red Blanket, Autumn Tallman, and Feather Chief; nephews, Ace, Burton, Jr.,. Stevie, Travis, & Ethan Chief, Isaiah Young Dog-Villafuerte, Nathaniel Young Dog-Villafluerte, Victorio, Angelo, & Magdaleno Veltri, and Tyrone Red Blanket; and special friend, Ione Thunder Hawk.
Robert was preceded in death by his father, Lester Young Dog; mother, Esther Yellow Bull; grandparents, Amos Young Dog, Sr., Dora Around Him-Young Dog, Abraham Yellow Bull, and Josephine Old Shield; great grandmother, Jenny Sitting Bear; brother, Lester (Leslie) Young Dog-Thunder Shield; sister, Arlene Chief; nephews, Waverly Chief, Jr., Bradlee Chief, Carlin J. Red Blanket, Jr., and Dakota Chief; grandson, Jayden Sonny Clay; uncles, Verdell Young Dog, Seymoure Young Dog, and Gary Young Dog; aunt, Irene Young Dog; cousins, Angel Young Dog, Anna Mae Roan Eagle, Emmaline Roan Eagle, Gladas Fern Roan Eagle, Mannuella Delora Contreras-Caravio, JP Marshall, Morris Dean Yellow, Brian Roan Eagle (Stillborn), Cynthia Rouillard, Paula Rouillard, Jenny Driver, Tina Young Dog-Sandison, Mariah Irving, Richard Horse, Ronnie Horse, Jerry Horse, Sr., Kenneth Horse; uncles, Wendell Yellow Bull, Sr., Carol Yellow Bull, Steven Yellow Bull, and Issac Yellow Bull; aunts, Jessie Horse, Martha Horse, and Ethel Old Shield-Marshall; and grandfathers, John Paul Old Shield, Sr., Owen Rouillard, Sr., Wendell Irving, and Roger Roan Eagle, Sr.
Pallbearers will be Quentin Whalen, Teak Rouillard, Tyler Rouillard, Angelo Horse, Carlin Red Blanket, Horacio Red Blanket, Ricky Red Blanket, Travis Chief, & Travis Irving.
Honorary pallbearers will be Nancy Rouillard & Family, Marvin Young Dog & Family, Amos Young Dog, Jr. & Family, Virgina Irving & Family, Myron Shields & Family, Seymour Young Dog, Jr., Susan Blair & Family, Lisa (Bart) Andrae & Family, Ricky Red Blanket & Family, Carlin Red Blanket & Family, Mary Felicia Horse & Family, Wanda Horse-Rowland & Family, Alberta Horse & Family, Thurman Horse & Family, Angelo Horse & Family, Vanson Horse & Family, Malcome Horse & Family, Bennett "Tuffy" Sierra & Family, Wilma Kills In Water & Family, Maryann Horse & Family, Larry Horse & Family, Broken Nose Family, Wounded Horse Family, Brown Bear Family, Plenty Arrow Family, Bear Runner Family, Fast Horse Family, Iron Cloud Family, Young Bear Family, Smoke Family, Black Bear Family, Fineran Family, Little Hawk Family, Two Dogs Family, Dull Knife Family, Sitting Bear Family, Around Him Family, Blacksmith Family, Mousseaux Family, Kills Back Family, Conroy Family, Cummings Family, Jumping Eagle Family, Marshall Family, Yellow Bull Family, all friends & relatives.
Wake Services: Two night wake service starting at 4:00 PM, Thursday, November 13, 2025 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Batesland, SD with evening services starting each night at 7:00 PM.
Funeral Services: 10:00 AM, Saturday, November 15, 2025 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Batesland, SD
Officiating: Lay Minister Wilma Two Lance
Traditional Lakota Services: Ivan Looking Horse
Burial Services: Trinity Episcopal Cemetery, Allen, SD
Arrangements entrusted with the Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge, SD