In
this section, we wish to say farewell to our beloved Colville
Tribal Members and send our wishes for health, happiness and
faith to their families.
We welcome memorials about your loved ones and friends who have passed away, including
photographs and poems if you wish. Please send your contributions to: Tribal Tribune
Memorials, P.O. Box 150, Nespelem WA 99155 or Email @
editor.tribune@colvilletribes.com.
Include your name and address on the photographs, funeral cards or other materials you
want returned to you.
Evelyn O. James
Evelyn O. James (78) of Nespelem died at Elmer City on
Saturday September 10, 2005. She was born in Tonasket on
September 4, 1927 to Basil and Madeline (Sorimpt) Timentwa.
Evelyn was a member of the Catholic Church and the Colville
Tribe. She enjoyed pow-wows, camping, gathering traditional
foods, sewing, beading and spending time with her family.
Evelyn worked at the tribal landfills, and was a chore service
worker and worked in the agricultural industry in her younger
years. She was also involved with AA and the Foster
Grandparent program.
Evelyn is survived by two daughters, Suzette Moore of Elmer
City and Jeannie Jackson of Coulee Dam; four sons, David,
Kenny, Lewis and Pete James all of Nespelem; and numerous
grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Public rosary was held on Monday September 12 at the Keller
community center at 7PM. Funeral services were held on Tuesday
September 13 at 10AM from the same location with interment was
at the San Poil Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home was in charge of
arrangements.
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Samantha M. Alexander
Colville Tribal Member, resident of Worley, Idaho, Samantha M.
Alexander, age 22, died as the result of a fatal car accident
which claimed her life and the life of her significant other,
Gerald A. Tinney (J.T.) on August 24, 2005.
Samantha was born in Spokane, Washington on March 12, 1984 to
Samuel and Sherri Alexander. She attended schools at Logan
Elementary and Shaw Jr. High in Spokane and most recently,
Lakeside High School in Plummer, Idaho, where she was known
for her creativity in art and beading. She was employed at the
Corner Market as a cashier in Worley, Idaho.
Samantha is preceded in death by her mother, Sherri
Adolph-Alexander, her maternal grandfather, Kenneth Adolph
Sr., and her paternal grandfather, Howard R. Alexander. She is
survived by her father, Samuel Alexander (at the home);
brothers, Cory Adolph of Portland, Oregon, Lucas Adolph of
Nespelem, Washington, Michael Adolph of Spokane, Washington;
and her sister, Sharon Boyd of Inchelium, Washington and
numerous nieces and nephews. Samantha is also survived by her
maternal grandmother, Jackie Adolph of Nespelem, Washington
and paternal grandmother, Lovinia Alexander at the home in
Worley, Idaho.
Rosary Services were held Friday, August 26, 2005, at 10 a.m.
at the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Longhouse. Burial was at St.
Michael’s Cemetery, Worley, Idaho. Samantha’s sense of humor
and loving nature will be deeply missed by her family and
friends. Schanzenbach Funeral Home, Fairfield, WA.
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Gerald Allen Tinney JR.
Gerald Allen Tinney JR. was
born June 7, 1983 in Spokane, WA. He passed away August 23,
2005, Worley, ID.
He was a kind and generous man. Always willing to give that
extra mile. He had many interests for e.g.: hunting, four
wheeling, story telling and sand blasting was his favorite. He
worked in various jobs. His most recent was working for tribal
housing as a maintenance/construction worker.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather Allen I. Tinney,
father Gerald A. Tinney SR., his brothers Robert J. Davison,
Ronald M. Tinney. He is survived by his mother, Francine M.
Tinney, his brothers Allen (ASA) Tinney of Spokane, WA. Andrew
J. Davision of Worley, ID, Michael R. Shepard of Coos Bay,
OR., Sisters Leonora L. Abrahamson of Worley, Roberta Janson
of Walla Walla, WA. and his many nieces and nephews, aunts and
uncles and the one he called his baby his dog bear. “He was
small in stature” but he made it up in generosity. He will be
missed and loved by many.
The Family of Gerald A. Tinney JR. “JT” would like to thank
all the following people for their help during the services:
The Hendricks family we are so grateful for everything you
have done for us right along with the cooking. Prudy Marchand,
Bobbi JoHendrickx, Trina Hendrickx, Ali Hendrickx. All the
helpers of the kitchen: Raeanna H. Hendrickx, Corrina H., Alie
H., Margaret S., Nicki J., Adam S. and Aimee G. All the
hunters: Charles Peone, Daryl Howard, Kevin Gorr, Bill Brown,
Tom Freed, Kevin Garcia (dried meat), Gary Brown (dried meat),
Jim and Carla Parr for all the donations and for anything we
needed you took care of it. We are so very thankful.
Joe and Teresa Chapman for helping out where ever needed.
Philip and Jackie Barnaby we all love you and are grateful
that you were there to guide us in the right direction. Joe
Peone for making a beautiful wind chime, Deedee Morris helping
with the memory cards, Toney Esquivel for having such a
wonderful voice, Lighting Spirit for drumming, Carrie Rockes,
Schanzenbach Funeral Home, the two priests who traveled over
here to give services, Melinda Fuchs for the sewing machine,
Ed Peone who brought fruit, Bob Jansen who brought some food,
Henrietta Brown who brought pies and helped clean up
afterwards. The Colville Tribe, Coeur d’Alene Casino, Coeur
d’Alene Tribe, along with the Enrollment dept., Social
Services Dept., Facilities Dept.
We also would like to thank everyone who stayed and help clean
up especially all the young kids who helped out it was nice to
see that our young ones are coming out of the wood work to
lend a helping hand we thank you.
If we forgot anyone we are sorry but there were so many, we
can’t remember all your names we thank everyone for their love
and support during our time of great sorrow. Our hearts will
forever be with him and Samantha and her family.
Thank you so much
The Family of JT
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Eleanor Shippentower
Pendleton—Eleanor Shippentower, 79, a lifelong Pendleton
resident, died Thursday, August 25, 2005, at St. Anthony
Hospital.
A dressing ceremony was held at Burns Mortuary in Pendleton
with a Washat ceremony at the Longhouse in Mission. Sunrise
burial service was held on August 27 at the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Agency Cemetery.
Mrs. Shippentower was born December 14, 1925, at Pendleton, to
Leo and Mary Selena Wildbill Sampson. She lived in the
Pendleton area her whole life after attending college for
three years.
In 1976, she became a counselor employed by the Umatilla
Indian Reservation Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program for 12
years. She was also involved in suicide and domestic violence
prevention programs.
She was a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 29
years.
She loved spending time with her children and watching over
her grandchildren. It was said she was a kind, gentle,
generous woman, full of love and compassion for everyone.
Survivors include sons, Ross Shippentower, Leland Shippentower
and his wife, Deborah, and Paul Shippentower, all of
Pendleton; daughter, Jacqueline James and her husband,
Stanley, of Pendleton; brother, Wesley Tias of Pendleton,
sister, Veronica Tias of Pendleton; numerous grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents,
by sons, Edmond, Leslie and Kenneth, by daughters, Marlene and
Selena, by brothers, Jack Sampson, Larry Sampson, and Simon M.
Sampson Sr.; and sisters, Louise Craig, Matilda Spencer,
Lucille Cree, and Betsy Tias. Burns Mortuary of Pendleton was
in charge of arrangements.
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THANK YOU
I would like to thank
everyone who visited with Grandma Evelyn and her family during
her illness. Words cannot express how much your presence or
phone calls meant to all of us during this time of loss.
To those who still have their Grandmas and other elders, spend
time with them. There was much that I did not know about
Grandma or even who all our family is. Before her passing I
was just going to go visit her another day. Only God knows how
long a person will be around, so take a few minutes out of
your life to go visit your elders.
I don’t want to name those I’d like to thank, besides, knowing
my Uncle Jim Moore, he’s already written a letter. I just
don’t want to leave anyone out.
And to whomever stole my Uncle Dave’s guitar, I hope you will
find it in your heart to return it. To you it is just a
material item, but to him the guitar was given to him by my
Grandpa. What were you thinking?
This is all I have to say.
Sincerely,
Sheila, Evans, Kabrina, Shawnee, Reggie and Bobby Desautel
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Disrespecting Our
Deceased,
After reading a couple of
articles in the Tribune about the partying at funerals and
grave sites, I decided to write to the paper addressing these
issues myself. I felt anger and disgust while reading these
articles, to see how bad it has become. I can see how
uneducated our people really are for services such as this. To
be so disrespectful to families, including myself, who have
lost someone close to them, is unforgivable. The families of
deceased loved ones need to find a starting point for closure,
help like this is not needed. When we cry we don’t think of
anything except what that person was like growing up, your
kind of actions does nothing for any of us.
If you do not know how to act at a wake or funeral, please be
respectful to those who have come to help the family. Don’t
come if this is the only way you can act. When you drive some
relatives and friends away from a services because of your
disgraceful actions it does nothing for the family but to look
at you in disgust. You call yourselves a friend? Then act like
one. People attend services with prayer and songs, to walk
with the loved one so they do not turn back, ending up lost
forever. The deceased has to go where they need to be, they do
not belong here any longer. Relatives and friends are
attending to help the family, giving their support for their
loss. To give the family enough strength to let their loved
one go. The family needs to find peace, to be able to go on
without their loved one.
Who teaches their Children that walking the last trail with
someone deceased is very hard, you give a lot of yourself. Who
tells them to watch their children at times like this: When a
person’s shell is still above the ground it is a dangerous
time. The deceased is traveling for the three days they are
above the ground, traveling to all the places they have been
in this life. They are picking up their tracks or anything
they do not need left behind. When they travel, it does not
pick and choose if someone gets in their path. In the white
world they call it essence, in my language we call it Pahah.
If you get in their path or do something that makes them pity
you or anger them, they will take you or someone close to you.
It is important that you conduct yourselves in a respectful
way when attending a funeral service. This is only part of the
meaning behind what we do. Who teaches their children these
things.
Alcohol and drugs have no place at a funeral or wake. If
anyone thinks this is the way the deceased person wanted to be
they are very mistaken. It is not your call. If this was the
way of life of the person being put to rest, you should look
at it and see the example of what could happen to you or one
close to you. Just because a person suffers from this illness
does not mean the families have to put up with the horrible
sight of seeing you in a drunken state. No one who comes in
prayer wants to smell that god awful odor nor do we want to
listen to the drunken talk. This does nothing for us who have
lost someone. If you are so weak that you need this crutch to
deal with death, I feel sorry for you and will remember you in
my prayers. It takes a lot of human strength to deal with
death and to help families get through this kind of trauma.
Drinking does not help anyone nor does it help anything. If
you want to look down on the traditional way of Indian people,
then it should be time you go to the cities and live as they
do in the streets and slums. This type of family/Gangs do not
belong here. We have our own roots, be brave enough to learn
about them. Now take a good look at yourselves and what you
are doing. I, for one, do not want to see your kind growing up
to be one of our leaders. Setting disgraceful examples like
this growing up and trying to convince people how good you are
later on in life don’t wash. If you think this is the way
Indian people do things you are very wrong. You want to make a
difference in your life? Start right now, turn yourselves
around right now. Indian people are proud people and know a
lot of things. Try being one of us.
Thank you for taking the time of reading this letter to the
editor. I know I am not the only one who feels like this. I
support the ones who have sent in their comments to the paper
on how they feel about this. Good for you.
From a mother who just lost a daughter,
Tillie Gorr
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