Oscar "Sunfish" Oppegard, age 72, of Mahnomen, MN, died on Friday, November 30, 2018, at Ecumen in Detroit Lakes, MN.

Oscar A. Oppegard was born March 15, 1946, in White Earth, MN, the son of Gertrude (Antell) and Oscar H. Oppegard.  Growing up Sunfish attended Antell Country School followed by Fosston and Mahnomen Public Schools.  He would later graduate from South High in Minneapolis, MN.  He furthered his education as a welder and spent a few years working as a machinist in the twin cities area.

Sunfish was drafted into the United States Army and spent some time overseas in Germany.  Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to the White Earth Reservation.  Over the years, Oscar was married twice and blessed with five children: Hawk, Alec, Michelle, Christine and Delphine; and several step-children: Lori, Randy, Joe and Melanie, who he treated like his own.  He was a hard worker and worked a variety of jobs including logging, building bridges, working road construction, dealing Blackjack at the Shooting Star Casino, working at the Naytahwaush Sports Complex in Vocational Rehab and most recently working as a Flagger for Knife River.

Sunfish was a true outdoorsman.  He enjoyed everything it had to offer from hunting and fishing to ricing and collecting maple syrup.  He was even portrayed on an educational video shown on PBS on the ways of harvesting wild rice.  Sunfish had a wonderful sense of humor and he loved to gamble.  He also enjoyed playing his guitar and listening to music.  Sunfish, whose native name was "Spotted Thunderbird" was known to many as a medicine man.  He led ceremonies, was a pipe carrier and lived his life by the traditional ways of his native culture, many which he learned from Jim Eagle and Jimmie Jackson.  Several of these traditions he has taught to his children, especially Hawk, to carry on.  Sunfish had a caring heart and will be missed by many.

Sunfish is survived by two sons, Hawk (Espy) Oppegard of Ogema, MN, and Alec Oppegard of Fosston, MN; three daughters: Michelle (Frank) Oppegard of Longville, MN, Christine Alvarado of Roy Lake, MN, and Delphine Littlewolf of Mahnomen, MN; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Allan and Thomas Oppegard, both of Naytahwaush, MN; six sisters: Nona Townsend of Roy Lake, Susan Zornes of Bemidji, MN, Gwen Sargent, Ruth Stech and Roberta Oppegard all of Naytahwaush, MN, and Lyda (Pete) Cannon of Waubun, MN, and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Justin; three brothers: Joseph, Michael, and Simon; and two sisters, Ann and Mary Oppegard.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2018, at the Naytahwaush Sports Complex in Naytahwaush, MN, with a wake service at 7:00 pm and continue until 11:00 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.  A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Naytahwaush, MN. Burial will be in St. Agnes Catholic Cemetery, rural Lengby, MN.