Roberta Ann DeVault

Roberta (Bobbi) Ann DeVault, 53, of Inger, Minnesota, began her journey on November 8, 2025. She passed peacefully, after a long illness that she faced with remarkable courage. Her Anishinaabe name is Wiisaakodewikwe Indigoo ("Mixed Blood Woman").
She was born on October 14, 1972, in Barstow, California, the cherished daughter of Robert and Beverly DeVault. Her upbringing was mainly on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota. She went on to live on the Fort Belknap Indian Community in 1989 or 1990 with her aunt Pam Jackson, where she met her first husband and had two children, Chelsea and Maranda Blackcrow. They divorced after 13 years, and she later had her youngest daughter, Zhaawin DeVault. Bobbi spent a lot of her time in Montana and met a lot of friends along the way.
A passionate lifelong learner, Roberta earned degrees from Fort Belknap Tribal College (1998) with her Associate's degree in Elementary Education, Northern University (2000) with her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, and her Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Lesley University (2008). During her professional life, she dedicated herself to teaching and then later took time off to be her grandmother Susan Jackson's caretaker before she passed and to take care of her beloved daughter Zhaawin. She had many plans and goals to go back to work and live somewhere new before she was diagnosed with cancer.
Roberta was a gifted artist, turning everyday materials into objects of beauty. Her creativity was matched by a sharp intellect, a strong will, and a deep love for reading, writing, and music. At her core, Roberta held a profound connection to her Anishinaabe heritage. She embraced the language, traditions, and ceremonies of her people with deep love and reverence, which guided her life.
To know Roberta was to know true kindness. She was compassionate, empathetic, and non-judgmental, and her frequent smile reflected her generous nature. Her absolute greatest joy was her grandchildren; she was fiercely devoted to them, and her love for them knew no bounds.
Her beautiful legacy of love is carried on by her three daughters: Chelsea Blackcrow (Dale Fox), Maranda Blackcrow (Trevor Boushie), and Zhaawin DeVault. Her memory will be forever treasured by her adored grandchildren: Carlie, Calisa, Xia, Wyatt, Kaia, and Wrenley. She also leaves her loving parents, Robert and Beverly DeVault; her siblings, Penny DeVault, Beau DeVault, Daniel DeVault, and Saddonna Cloud; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family members.
She is now reunited in peace with those who went before her: her paternal grandparents; her maternal grandparents, Susie and Murphy Jackson; and her aunts and uncles, Clara, Selma, Ramona, Glen, and Steve Jackson.
All who knew and loved Roberta are invited to honor her life. Services will be held in both Montana and Minnesota. A wake is scheduled in Harlem, MT, on Monday, November 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. A second wake will begin at the Inger Community Center on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, followed by the Funeral Service on Thursday, November 13, 2025, in Inger. She will be laid to rest at the Inger Cemetery.
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