RAPID CITY - Melissa (Artie) McRae, 76, Rapid City, died Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Born April 4, 1934, at Rosebud, to Estelle (Frazier) and Alex Rencountre. Artie attended schools in Lower Brule, Fort Thompson Boarding School, and Rapid City, graduating from Rapid City High School in 1952. During High School she worked at the Red Owl grocery store and Northwestern Bell Telephone CO. After graduation she met James McRae from Jacksonville, Fla. while he was stationed at Ellsworth AFB. Their first home was in Puerto Rico where Jim was stationed and their son James was born. Artie always felt lucky to have had the opportunity to work at interesting jobs wherever her husband was stationed. Stationed in South Florida she worked for Southern Bell Telephone where daughter Ardis Michelle was born. In the Panama Canal Zone she was employed as a telephone operator for the Pan Canal Co., a dispatcher in the Orange Country Sheriffs office, Recreation Assistant at a Military Service Club, Remote Terminal Operator, Teen Club Director and secretary. Artie retired as a purchasing agent with the State of Florida in 1993. In the many places she was fortunate to live, she took part in many volunteer activities, Thrift Shop, Youth Activities and Family Services. She was always part of the Military Wives club where she was president at several bases and also held many different offices. She was honored to have been invited to a Tea at the US embassy in Panama and a luncheon at the US embassy in Manila, Philippines. She bowled at every base they were stationed at, won or placed in many bowling tournaments, was secretary of Canal Zone WIBC and was on the Allstar team in several places. At several bases she was the NCO Wife of the Year and Family Services Volunteer of the year. When Jim retired from the Air Force at Myrtle Beach AFB, SC after 28 years in the military, Artie was proud to receive a Certificate of Appreciation from the USAF. They retired to Altamonte Springs, Fla. where they purchased their first home and Artie went to work for the State of Florida. She was active in Native American activities in the State where she was a member of the Florida Governors Council on Indian Affairs for 10 years. She was nominated to this council by then Seminole Tribal Chairman, James Billie. From this nomination she was appointed to the council by Governor Lawton Chiles. After her husband Jim passed away in 1996 she remained in Altamonte Springs until she sold her home and returned to Rapid City in 2001. She lived with her daughter Ardis Michelle and moved with her to Canastota, NY where Ardiss job had been transferred in 2002. They returned to Rapid City in November, 2008. Artie had been a member of American Indian Association of Florida, Florida Governors Council on Indian Affairs, a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary and lifetime member of the Air Force Air Commando Association. She was an absent member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. She is survived by her son James (Laurie) McRae and their children, James, Jennifer and Shanon of Florida. Daughter Ardis Michelle of Rapid City, with whom she lived, her sisters, Ethel (Ron) Lovelace of Browerville, Minn., Jeanne (Tom) Grissom of Rapid City, Linda Jo (Shannon) Horton of Oklahoma, Karen (Bob)Guess of Georgia. She had many nieces and nephews including her first and favorite nephew Ben Gonzalez. Preceding her in death were her husband James, parents Estelle and Alex Rencountre, two sisters Bernice Swick and Lorretta Mae Rencountre and three brothers Alex, Frank and Jim Rencountre. A memorial service will be held on Monday, February 21, 2011 at 11:30 AM at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home in Rapid City. At her request cremation will take place and she will be buried at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. Inurnment will take place at 9:30 AM on Monday, February 21, 2011. A procession will leave Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home at 8:45 AM Honorary Pallbearers are family, friends, old members of the American Indian Association of Fla, where she was powwow chairman for 11 years, classmates of RCHS of 1952, Golden Oldies chat buddies, Oneida Indian Nation Elders Center and VFW Post 600 in Canastota, NY.