Mah'piya Mato (Bear Cloud)

Galen Star Andrews was born May 17, 1974 in Pierre, SD to Jesse Jr. and Helen (Stars) Andrews. Galen began his journey to the spirit world on February 2, 2020 at Avera Health Hospital, in Sioux Falls, SD with his family by his side.

Galen grew up in Pierre, SD where he attended school from kindergarten until he graduated high school from Pierre Riggs High in 1992. Galen was a student at Black Hills State University where he was a pre-pharmacy major. He loved to play volleyball, basketball, and also run track, but his favorite sport was softball. He participated in many national and state tournaments in South Dakota and Colorado. He also worked at Zestos throughout high school and for a summer during college.

In May of 1995, he returned home to be with his mother, Helen, while she underwent brain surgery. During this visit he became sick and went into a coma. Over the next 24 years, with the care and support of his family, Galen overcame the odds of the medical issues he was faced with. His parents, sisters, nephews and aunts provided continuous care for Galen and worked to make him comfortable and happy.

Galen is survived by his father, Jesse Andrews Jr. of Sioux Falls; two sisters: Charlene Pickner of Sioux Falls, and Karla (Kevin) Kirkpatrick of Pierre; his maternal grandmother, Opal Stars of Sioux Falls; eight nephews: Shaun (Amanda) Pickner, Shane (Ty) Pickner, Shaye Pickner, Shad Pickner, Trevor (Lisa) Andrews; four aunts: Winifred Andrews and Rita Carlson of Chamberlain, Lisa (Rod) Stars and Pam Stars of Sioux Falls; two uncles: Lorenzo Stars of Sioux Falls, Donald (Bernadette) Stars of Pierre; five nephews, and many cousins.

Galen is preceded in death by his mother, Helen (Stars) Andrews; his maternal grandfather, Joseph Stars Jr.; his paternal grandparents: Jesse Sr. and Mercy (Stone Arrow) Andrews; five aunts: Donna Andrews, Margaret Williams, Josephine LaPointe, Caroline Andrews, and Joyce Andrews; seven uncles: Hampton Andrews, Willfred Andrews, Dana Andrews, Stanford Andrews, Conrad Andrews, Ronald Andrews and Marvin Andrews.