Dwight Bellanger, Sr.

Dwight Bellanger, Sr. ( Inni biide miskwaa, “Man in red”), 55 a Bureau of Indian Affairs Captain of Police, Spirit Lake Nation, Fort Totten, ND died at his residence Tuesday, February 6, 2007 after a short battle with cancer. 

Funeral Services will be 2:00 pm, Thursday, February 15, 2007 at the Red Lake Humanities Building in Red Lake , MN .   A law enforcement funeral procession will begin at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, February 14 at the Cease Family Funeral Home in Bemidji and the wake will begin on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at the Redby Community Center in Redby , MN and continue until the time of service on Thursday.  Interment will be at the St. Antipas Episcopal Cemetery in Redby , MN under the direction of the Cease Family Funeral Home of Bemidji. 

Dwight was born April 20, 1951 in Red Lake , MN the son of Phyllis and Daniel Bellanger.  He grew up with his family in the Cooper City area of Redby.  Dwight began his Law Enforcement career in 1975, working for the Red Lake Police Department as a Bureau of Affairs, Police Officer.  During 1981 to 1983, he did take a break in law enforcement and moved to the Minneapolis area.  In 1983, Dwight restarted his career back in Red Lake as a Bureau of Indian Affairs, Police Officer

After a few years back in service, Dwight was promoted to Sergeant of Police. In 1993, Dwight got his Canine Officer Keno. Dwight and Keno served together for several years. In November 1996 Dwight transferred to Lame Deer, Montana , Crow Agency. After a year of service in Lame Deer, Dwight was selected as Captain of Police, for Fort Totten , North Dakota , Spirit Lake Agency. Dwight continued serving in this position until his death. During his 28 year Law Enforcement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Dwight was detailed to serve on several other Indian communities through out the United States . Even after his departure from Red Lake , Dwight served his own home reservation, Red Lake Nation. During his career Dwight became very well versed in Law Enforcement knowledge and experience.

Dwight had been planning on retiring from the Bureau in August of 2007, but not from Law Enforcement as he did plan on returning to Red Lake and serving as the Director of Public Safety.  Dwight spent his non-working hours with his family as much as possible.  He enjoyed participating in his children’s school activities, attending pow-wows, family gatherings, and trying his hand at the Casinos. 

He is survived by wife, Diane and their six children, Damien Charnoski, Dwight Bellanger, Jr., Demery, Darnell and Daniel Bellanger all of Fort Totten and his daughter Darian Bellanger also of Fort Totten and Kathy Blue of Minneapolis.  Diane and Dwight were also raising two granddaughters who came to live with them during the spring of 2006.  Dwight is also survived by two other grandchildren of Bagley , MN .  Also surviving is his mother, Phyllis Jourdain of Minneapolis, sister Lorraine (Dennis Eckman) Bellanger, brothers Roy Roberts, Arthur Bellanger, Melvin Jourdain all of Minneapolis, Daniel Bellanger of Red Lake and Joseph Bellanger of Portland, Oregon, sisters Judy Bellanger of Minneapolis and Joyce Strong of Bemidji.

He was preceded in death by father, Daniel Bellanger, 2 brothers David and Antoine Bellanger along with numerous aunts, uncles and nephews

Honorary Casketbearers will be his fellow officers of the Ft. Totten Reservation and the Red Lake Police Department.

Active Casketbearers will be his sons Dwight, Jr. and Damien Charnoski, nephew Donovan Wind, brothers Daniel Bellanger and Melvin Jourdain, fellow officers Terry Morgan, Darrell Trottier and Pat Graves and alternates will be Jerry Lenoir, Jr. and Fabian Wind.