LEON IRVIN
Leon Frederick Irvin, Jr., 46, of Wagner died unexpectedly Sunday, September 10, 2023 at Wagner Community Memorial Hospital in Wagner. Funeral services were Saturday, September 16 at the American Legion Hall in Wagner. Burial was in the Holy Fellowship Episcopal Cemetery in Greenwood. Peters Funeral Home of Wagner was in charge of arrangements.
Leon Fredrick Irvin, Jr. was born July 7, 1977, to Leon Irvin, Sr. and Mary Susan Tiger in Yankton. He was the grandson of Fred Irvin and Verna Godfrey Irvin and Robert Tiger and Lois Sully Tiger. He grew up as his Grandma Tiger’s precious baby boy.
Leon spent most of his life in Wagner on the Ihanktonwan reservation, but was a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Lee attended school at Wagner Community School, finishing his education by completing his GED in 1996. He then graduated from RTEC Welding, becoming a certified welder and working in that field for several years.
Leon was blessed with amazing creative talent. When he was young he would create his own comic books and he grew into an accomplished artist, photographer, and videographer.
If you knew Leon, you knew how to laugh. He was kind soul with a quick smile and loved to tease and joke. Lee liked to walk around town and he was known for the warm smile he would give to the people he would meet. Leon was also crazy smart. He loved physics, he loved to write, and he loved music, movies, and playing his guitar. He could also find his way around cars, carpentry, and all this asparagus.
But the absolute greatest love in Lee’s life was his girls. Leon was blessed with three beautiful daughters. Bree (Dylan) Alizé, who also made him grandpa to Marlee Gemma, Ruby Soho, and Ivy Moon; Kiana Leigh, and Adelaide Grace. He had four sisters: Michelle, Lilly, Chanel, and Chyrelle; three brothers: Russel, Jamal, and Leo. He also had many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Leon was preceded in death by his dad Big Leon, grandpa Fred “Big Boy” Irvin, grandma Verna Godfrey Irvin, Papa Tiger, brother Leo, and our precious Gram Lois Sully Tiger.
Leon made his way through the world always trying to find the beauty others didn’t see. He had a gentle heart and old-school manners when he wasn’t being our crazy Lee, he will forever be so very, very missed.