Roland Thomas Sage

Roland Thomas Sage, 65, of Twin Buttes, passed away Monday, August 2, 2021, at Sakakawea Medical Center, Hazen.  Services will be held at 10:00 AM CDT, Friday August 6, 2021, at the Twin Buttes Wellness center, Twin Buttes.  A wake will begin at 5:00 PM CDT, Thursday, August 5, 2021, at the Twin Buttes Wellness Center.  Burial will be at the Holding Eagle Family Cemetery.

Covid precautions will be observed throughout the services.

Roland Thomas (Tommy) Sage, 65, of Twin Buttes, ND passed away Monday August 2, 2021 at Sakakawea Medical Center, Hazen. Services will be held at 10:00 AM CDT on Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Twin Buttes Wellness Center, Twin Buttes with Pastor Diane Travers and Pastor Kevin Finley officiating. Burial will follow at Holding Eagle Cemetery, Twin Buttes.

A wake will begin at 5:00 PM CDT on Thursday at the Twin Buttes Wellness Center. Covid precautions will be observed throughout the services.  

Roland Thomas (Tommy) Sage, Moves Slowly, was born on December 24, 1955 in Garrison ND to the late Otter Louise (Holding Eagle) Sage and the late Sylvan Sage Sr. He was called home on August 2, 2021 to be with our creator.

Tommy was raised with his brothers and sister in the rural Twin Buttes area which was also known as Red Butte.  He attended Elementary school in Halliday, North Dakota and graduated high school from Flandreau Indian School. Tommy was very involved in athletics and carried that passion for sports throughout his adult life. It wasn’t uncommon to see Tommy out running with his boys, training them for Cross Country meets. He also coached many young men and women in the Twin Buttes and Halliday areas in basketball, where he taught them the fundamentals of basketball, in his words “How to be Champions, “and helping to build their self-esteem on and off the court.  Many of these individuals still talk of their “Coach Sage”.

Tommy also had 38 years of dedicated service to the Three Affiliated Tribes as a Law Enforcement Officer, Chief Game Warden and a Security officer. He also served as Law Enforcement for the Bureau of Indian Affairs where he graduated from the Indian Police Academy in 1980, Class No. 36. Throughout his Game and Fish career Tommy achieved his Associate of Arts degree in Fish and Wildlife Law from South Dakota State University. In his years of Law Enforcement and public service Tommy had many people from the communities he served and his brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement that he took as family. His dedication to his professional duties will be remembered. 

Throughout his years in Fish and Game, Tommy competed and was awarded numerous Top Gun Awards, nationally and internationally. These honors he brought home to the Three Affiliated Tribes and the Great Plains Region. He also founded the Sage Pistol and Rifle Shoot competition where numerous individuals came from far and wide to compete. He was a well-known marksman.

Tommy enjoyed hunting and being out with his brothers and nephews during hunting season. He was also a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan and attended games when he could to support his purple and gold. SKOL!

In his later years of life Tommy developed a love for the traditional flute music and became a traditional flute player.  He created many beautiful songs for individuals that came from his heart. He also performed for family functions and wherever he was requested. He was always willing to share his passion for flute playing when asked.

Tommy’s good heartedness and compassion for people will be missed by the many that knew him and those that he loved greatly.

Tommy is survived by his two sons Jordan Danks, Sr. of New Town, ND, Sheldon Sage of Twin Buttes ND; his grandchildren Jordan Danks, Jr., Jaimie Danks, Charlie Danks, Noah Sage, Tristin Sage, Taylor Sage; his brothers, Joshua Sage, Sr. of Twin Buttes, ND., Willis Sage, Sr.  (Corrine) of Mandaree, ND; Luke Fredericks of Minneapolis, MN, Jay Holding Eagle of Fargo, ND, David Holding Eagle, Sr. (Ivetta) of Twin Buttes, ND; adopted brothers, Doug Sorensen of Halliday, ND, Jim Voigt (Anje) of Halliday, ND, Maynard Young Bear Sr. of Hurst, Texas, Mohler Beko of Zap, ND; sisters, Dinah Belgarde of Bismarck, ND, Kathy Holding Eagle – Turner (Darwin) of Hazen, ND, Fayetta Young Bear of New Town, ND, Noreen Two Crow of Parshall, ND, Carol Two Crow of New Town, ND; along with many cousins, nephews and nieces.

He is preceded in death by his son Dwight Sage, son Jeremiah Sage; brother Sylvan “Wayne” Sage Jr, sister Lydia Sage Chase, brother Mathew “Tuffy” Sage, sister Caroline Sage (infant sister) brother Leroy Sage (infant brother), mother Otter Louise Holding Eagle Sage, father Sylvan Sage Sr., maternal grandmother Katherine Malnorie Holding Eagle, maternal grandfather Reverend James Holding Eagle, paternal grandmother Mary Benson Sage, paternal grandfather Alex Sage.

Tommy will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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