Crazy Horse Memorial honors Custer couple
Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Chairman Dick Tobias of Rapid City, left, presents the Dreamer Award to “steadfast” and “true friends” Elaine and Jim Emery of Custer for their longtime service and support of the nonprofit memorial dedicated to honoring North American Indians, their cultures and traditions. (Crazy Horse photo/Linda Uphoff)
A longtime Custer couple, Jim and Elaine Emery, recently won the coveted Dreamer Award from the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation board of directors.
The honor, the 14th since debuting in 2000, is reserved for individuals, businesses and organizations whose ongoing help significantly aids the 61-year-old memorial’s educational and humanitarian mission to honor Native Americans and their tribal cultures.
He was the foundation’s treasurer for more than half of its history and remains a director on the 27-member board. For nearly 20 years, she’s been the volunteer coordinator of the Crazy Horse Memorial Scholarship Fund and board meeting secretary.
In thanking Jim Emery for his guidance and counsel, the foundation’s award notes, “We are further honored to be part of your mission to carry on your father’s priceless efforts to preserve the Lakota language.”
With the help of memorial media archivist Mike Morgan, Emery preserved and converted the extensive recordings that his father, the late James E. Emery, made of Lakota stories, ceremonies and music from the 1950s to the 1970s. Copies of the digital archives have been provided to regional tribal and state colleges, as well as the Crazy Horse Memorial library.
Board members told Elaine Emery “we are blessed to have your passionate involvement in the Scholarship Fund. This inspiring program benefits greatly from your genuine and caring manner. We appreciate the assistance you provide at board meetings and your wonderful sense of humor.”
She works with foundation president and memorial chief executive Ruth Ziolkowski on the scholarship funding, which has exceeded $1 million since the fund began in 1978. The program this fall semester awarded more than $135,000 to South Dakota schools, which select the scholarships winners.
Married for 52 years, the Emerys are from the Lead-Deadwood area where they graduated from high school in 1952.
Jim Emery, a Lakota, served in the U.S. Army paratroopers and attended Black Hills State College at Spearfish and National College of Business in Rapid City.
He managed Black Hills Power & Light Co.’s Southern Hills offices from 1971 until retiring in 1996. He served on city councils in Hot Springs and Custer, on the Hot Springs Development Corporation, state Board of Education and in the South Dakota Legislature for 12 years.
His tributes include the Man of the Year Award from the Rapid City Jaycees and the President’s Award from Custer Area Chamber of Commerce.
Elaine Emery is a retired legal secretary who also worked in newspaper advertising accounting and as a consultant on several election campaigns in the state. She attended the University of South Dakota at Vermillion and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City.
She was a charter member of the South Dakota Lottery Commission, serving seven years, three as president, on the panel supervising scratch ticket and other state-sponsored games. She also served six years, two as president, on the state Commission on Gaming, overseeing horse racing and casino-style gambling in the state.
She is a charter member of Custer County Republican Women’s Club, and member of Women of St. John’s Catholic Church in Custer.