Imogene Horse

Imogene M. Brown was born on Jan. 12, 1932 in Pine Ridge, SD to Ila Gregory Brown and Weston Brown. Their family moved around the area from Martin, SD to Lame Deer, MT, but Imogene always considered Chadron as her home. After Ila and Weston divorced, Ila supported the two of them by working various jobs including dry cleaning. Ila remarried after WW II to Jack Kloffenstein and the three of them moved to Pittsburgh, PA, where Imogene attended school and joined the band, becoming second seat playing trombone. When Ila and Jack divorced, Ila and Imogene moved back to Chadron. Ila worked at Model Laundry with Maurice Horse. Maurice met Imogene and they soon eloped to Harrisburg, NE on Dec. 13, 1947. Maureen was born in 1949, Jeanne was born in 1953 and Luanne was born in 1955. By this time Maurice was employed at C&NW Railroad while Imogene stayed home with their girls. Maurice and brothers Boog and Bob had a family band named "Esquires" that played every weekend throughout the region. The Horse boys were all talented musicians. Imogene asked Boog to teach her a few chords on the piano and soon she joined the band as accompanist. Around 1965 Maurice was burned in an accident in the railroad yard and suffered third degree burns. He was hospitalized at an Omaha hospital for several months receiving skin grafts. This accident had a profound effect on the family and Imogene realized she needed to complete her education to help out financially. She went back to school to get her GED. She enjoyed it so much, she followed up getting her Bachelor's Degree, then her Master's Degree and finally her Educational Specialist Degree. Maurice was very proud of her. Together they faced adversaries and good times. Imogene taught school at the Assumption Academy, where Tommy Lecher jokingly called her "Sister Imogene." She then worked at Pine Ridge as Elementary Librarian. She helped set up many libraries at different Reservation Schools. As her education increased, she became a Principal at Pine Ridge School, and then School Administrator. She retired from the BIA and moved to Garden City, KS where Maureen was teaching and Imogene taught "at risk" students for two years. This happened after Maurice passed in 1982. Imogene returned to Chadron and was hired at the City Library. She worked until she was 74 years of age. Imogene finally retired in 2006. She enjoyed "going north" where she was so lucky at gambling. This brought her so much joy seeing friends at Prairie Winds Casino. Imogene had heart issues for several years but she dealt with them for a long time. She entered into Pioneer Manor on Oct. 14, but her heart finally gave out on Oct. 29th, 2024. She was treated with such love and compassion by the Staff at Pioneer Manor. We will forever be indebted to them. Imogene was predeceased by her husband Maurice, daughter Maureen Hooker, son-in-law Mark Hooker, mother Ila Lecher and father Weston Brown. She is survived by daughters Jeanne Horse and Luanne Witt, son-in-law Karl Witt, granddaughters Kolette (Travis) Gilbert, Council Grove, KS, and Kami (Aaron) Truax, Papillion, NE and great- grandsons Brady and Preston Gilbert and Hayden and Grayson Truax and many loving cousins.