Diane Bad Bear

Diane Bad Bear (Cain), Makoonce “Bear Cub”, age 76, began her journey to the spirit world on Thursday, August 7, 2025 in Red Lake, MN.

Diane was born on May 2, 1949  on the Anishinabe Red Lake Nation Reservation, MN. She is the oldest daughter of Thomas and Gladys Cain (Smith). She was named by Dan Raincloud, her Way-eh. She lived with her family in Obaashing and Little Rock Districts of the Red Lake Nation. She attended school at Chilocco Indian Boarding School, where she first met her high school sweetheart, David Donald Bad Bear Sr. David drove all the way from Crow Agency, Montana, to Bemidji, MN, after a forty-year span, he found her again and married her. Diane attended Leech Lake Tribal College and graduated with a degree in American Indian Studies. Then, she went on to work for various tribal programs, because her dedication to helping her people was so prevalent and important to her. She was employed at the Red Lake Halfway House to support tribal members with substance abuse issues and continued her work for the Social Services as a Child Welfare worker. She continued her work for the Leech Lake Social Services as a support staff in child welfare cases. She firmly believed in helping and guiding her family along with many other community members when they needed her support. Often, she opened her home for people who were unhoused and vulnerable. Her pride was being a jingle dress dancer and representing her community; she would dance at all the pow wows in the area. Her greatest joy was being with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; she loved them more than anything in the world. She brought her children and grandchildren with her to every cultural event, such as pow-wows, sweats, ceremonies or feasts, and they were present. She even had her grandchildren introduced into the sweat lodge when they were babies. She immersed her family in the traditional ways and culture. She and her husband, David, were also initiated into the Midewiwin Lodge. Diane’s favorite attribute was to make people laugh; she brought so much joy and laughter to those who knew her. Her siblings would say that she had such a persuasive personality “that she could talk the bark off a tree.”  She will continue to be remembered and missed by family and those who knew her and love her so very much.   

Diane is survived by her children: Negonequaye Suzanne Neadeau and Shannon Dale Neadeau; grandchildren: Brett King, Paige King, Kashauna Lussier and Destiny Lussier; great-grandchildren: Kylie King and KyVin King; siblings: Sharon Smith, Michael Cain, Thomas Cain Jr, Shirley Cain, Nancy Cain Kouri, Anna (Earl Dionne) Cain and George (Trish Moose) Cain. She also adopted George Jenkins and Nash Rice.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Thomas and Gladys Cain; her husband, David Bad Bear Sr; and her sisters: Suzanne Cain and Barbara Smith Omaha.

A wake will begin at 4 PM on Monday, August 11, 2025 at the New Little Rock Community Center and will continue until the service at 10 AM on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 with Spiritual Leader Zac Earley.  Active Pallbearers will be George Cain, Thomas Cain Jr, Shannon Neadeau, Marcus Neadeau Sr, Earl Dionne and Julian Fairbanks. Alternate: Lewis Pacheco. Honorary Pallbearers will be Sharon Smith, Shirley Cain, Nancy Cain-Kouri, Annie Cain, Rose DeBungie, Rose Cournoyer, Catherine (Katie) Martin, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Burial will be at Mission Cemetery (next to Mokahum Ministry Center) in Cass Lake, MN.   Arrangements provided by Whispering Pines Funeral & Cremation Service of Northern Minnesota.

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