Wesley "Smiley" Eagle Bear

It is with great sadness that we, the family of Wesley "Smiley" Eagle Bear, announce his passing on Monday July 5, 2021, at the age of 61.

  Smiley is survived by his brother Philbert Eagle Bear (known as Jim) his wife Ish, adopted brother Thomas Knife Eagle Bear; nieces & nephews Kimberley Eagle Bear, Michael Brent Eagle Bear, Lucy Eagle Bear, Rae Lee Eagle Bear, Kineisha Eagle Bear. His great-nieces & nephews Kylie, Kyle, Caleb, Miley, Nova, Kaydence, and Jax. His aunts, Magdaline Cress, Angeline Webster, Melva Black (Sydney). His cousins: Isabelle, Patricia, Sandra, Shirley (Gilbert), Erin, Cary, Gloria, Shirley, Phillip, Jonathan, Steven, Allen, Ivan, David, Shelly, Nellie, Debbie, Audrey, Phyllis, Virginia, Marsha, Anita, Evelyn, Gilbert & Velma, Cecilia, Clara, Veronica, Florine, Theresa, Frankie, Natalie, Patrick, Joestan, Horton, Tracy, Debbie, Roxy, Rosemarie, Rosabelle, Alfreda, and Art.

   Smiley was predeceased by his parents Eddie & Hazel Eagle Bear, his sister Gloria Karen Eagle Bear, his brother Dexter Eagle Bear, maternal grandparents Frank and Lucy Eli, nee Willows; uncles Lawrence (Alberta) Eli, Floyd ( Maryanne) Eli; aunt Viola Eli, Alva Eli; cousins Andrea Schmidka Woods, Robert Vielle, Larry Vielle and cousin Dorothy Day Rider. Foster sister Cheryl Knife; paternal grandparents Jack and Agnes Eagle Bear; aunts Eva (Alfred) Sweetgrass, Louise (Herbert) Bullshields, Margaret Weaselfat; uncles Mike (Angeline) Eagle Bear, Stan ( Madeline) Eagle Bear, Billy (Margaret) Eagle Bear, and Louis (Louise) Knife.

Smiley grew up in Farm Four, Fort MacLeod and Old Agency. 

He graduated from F.P. Walshe in Fort MacLeod with many scholarships and awards. He continued his education at the U of C taking engineering. He went on to the U of L where he attained a double degree in Economics and Indigenous Studies.

Smiley was able to travel to Europe with his high school classmates and took a trip to Niagara Falls with his university classmates. He would fondly tell Jim about family trips to California, Disneyland and Las Vegas, plus about the escapades of our niece Kimberly on those trips. 

Smiley's hobbies included playing pool at the Duke on the West side. His team won the annual city tournament and earned a trip to Las Vegas to play in the larger tournament there. The Duke put up a sign that said Eagle Bear Lane in honour of Wesley after that successful year.

Smiley enjoyed reading comics and science fiction novels and his book shelf would be filled with them. He would often be found at the used book store grabbing something to read.

He was a kind, gentle and humble man who would strike up a conversation with anybody.

In his younger years he worked at the Blood Tribe Administration, being a security guard, fireman or ambulance driver. He spent some time at the Public Works Dept as a surveyor, as well as a Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administrator for the Federal Government.  His latest employment was was at McCain's.

He shared a house with Kim and you would often find him about town with her kids. He adored them, and in his final days he would ask Jim where's Kim or where's Miley. Smiley was Godfather to RaeLee and Kineisha.

A Wake Service will be held on Monday, July 12, 2021 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM at Christensen Salmon Generations Funeral Home. Vigil, prayers and memories, to start at 6:00 PM.

A Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Christensen Salmon Generations Funeral Home, 703-13 St. N, Lethbridge, with interment to follow at One Spot Cemetery in Old Agency, AB

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Wesley "Smiley" Eagle Bear, please visit our floral store.