In loving memory of
Reganne Chekpa
August 9, 2020
Reganne Reshonda Chekpa (age 20) was a Sicangu Lakota young woman from Saint Francis whose life, family ties, and community presence are lovingly remembered by relatives and neighbors.
Remembering Reganne
A life held close in memory
Reganne Reshonda Chekpa was a 20-year-old member of the Sicangu (Brulé) Lakota people who called Saint Francis, South Dakota, home. While public records about her everyday life are limited, community reporting and remembrance events show she was known to relatives and neighbors on the Rosebud Reservation and was honored by local groups working to remember Indigenous women lost to violence.
People who carried her name in awareness events described Reganne as one of the young Sicangu relatives whose memory is held close during runs, vigils, and community gatherings drawing attention to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In September 2021, Sicangu runners and organizers specifically honored Reganne’s name during an MMIW relay that passed through Rosebud, a sign that her family and community continue to hold her in their thoughts and ceremonies. That public remembrance reflects a broader grief and care within the community for young people whose lives were cut short.
Although detailed biographical items such as schooling, employment, or other personal interests were not available in the public record consulted, the sources that name Reganne emphasize her identity as a Sicangu Lakota woman from Saint Francis and the lasting impact of her loss on family and community. Those remembrances — written names, painted arms, and the inclusion of her name in local memorial events — are quiet but powerful ways the community honors her life beyond the circumstances of her death.
Reganne’s life ended on August 9, 2020. The legal process that followed resulted in a federal conviction and sentence connected to the shooting, and those public records confirm the date of her death. Even when public details are sparse, it remains important to recognize Reganne first for the relationships and cultural belonging that defined her life. She is remembered by family and by Sicangu community members who continue to speak her name in efforts to honor those who have been lost and to seek safety and healing for future generations.
Shared moments