Christopher R. Yellowbear of St. Stephen's died at Riverton Memorial Hospital on Sunday, March 29, 2009, at the age of 31.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, at St. Stephen's Catholic Church south of Riverton. Interment will be at the Arapaho Catholic Cemetery at St. Stephen's.
There will be a rosary at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at the Davis Funeral Home of Riverton with a second rosary at 7 p.m. Friday, April 3, at St. Stephen's. A wake will follow at Great Plains Hall at Arapahoe.
Christopher Ryan Yellowbear was born in Riverton on March 12, 1978, the son of Benjamin Chingman and Charlene Mae (Macy) Yellowbear.
Mr. Yellowbear lived all his life on the Wind River Reservation and worked in carpentry.
He married Krista L. Topaum at Fort Washakie on Dec. 7, 2007.
Mr. Yellowbear was a member of the Catholic faith and practiced Native American ways.
His family said he enjoyed his children, enjoyed being around his nephews and nieces, was a fan of the Denver Broncos, enjoyed watching football, and fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Krista Topaum-Yellowbear of Riverton; a son, Kyle Christopher Yellowbear; daughters, Lydia Rose, Michaela Ryan, Nevelen Macy, and Autumn Rain; his grandmother, Mary E. Bear; sisters, Candace Redman, Amber Yellowbear, and Randi Jo Chingman of Riverton; a brother, Neil Chingman.
Mr. Yellowbear was preceded in death by his mother, Charlene (Macy) Yellowbear; father, Benjamin Chingman; aunt, Mary Rose Yellowbear; cousins, John Willow III, Ernest SunRhodes III, Lisa Mandan, a grandfather, Phillip Bear; sister, Kellie Willow; grandparents, Benjamin Chingman, Sr., and Florence Chingman; nephew, Shawn Armajo; two brothers-in-law, Alfred and Chris Topaum.
On-line obituaries are available and condolences for the family may be made at: thedavisfuneralhome.com
Services are under the direction of the Davis Funeral Home of Riverton.