Obituaries
In response to requests from our readers, the Navajo Times will post obituaries as they are published in the print edition of the Navajo Times.
The Navajo Times does not receive all obituaries from border towns and reservation communities. Some mortuaries send them regularly, others ignore the Navajo Times in favor of local daily newspapers.
Many obituary notices are brought in by families or friends. If you would like an obituary for a loved one or friend published in the Navajo Times and posted on the web page, send to [email protected].
July 21, 2011
Joe Morris Sr.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Funeral services for Navajo Code Talker Joe Morris Sr., 85, will be held Monday, July 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the East Hills Community Church (20660 Orange Terrace Parkway) in Riverside. Viewing will be held an hour prior to service from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Burial will follow at 1 p.m. at the National Cemetery (22495 Van Buren Boulevard) in Riverside.
Joe was born in 1926 and raised on the Navajo Reservation in Indian Wells, Ariz. He died July 17, 2011.
Joe fudged on his age to obtain a draft registration card and joined the Marines in 1944 at the age of 17. After passing physical and written tests in Phoenix, he was sent for basic training to the San Diego Marine Recruit Depot. He was then assigned to the Navajo Communications School at Camp Pendleton. There he was trained for five months in code communication skills and terms for military hardware, battlefield sites, and key officials.
Joe and around 420 other Navajo Code Talkers served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II to fulfill the need the allied forces had to communicate sensitive information across the thousands of miles of ocean in the Pacific Theater. Morris and the others used a code based on the Navajo language to transmit vital communications with remarkable speed and accuracy using the only battlefield code never broken by the enemy. The code was especially difficult since Navajo is a spoken language with no reference to the terms that needed to be communicated. The Navajo Code Talkers could tell no one. This code was top secret until 1968.
In lieu of sending flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the following Bank of America account No. 2454773221.
Tommy Skeet
GALLUP - Funeral services for Tommy Skeet, 77, were held July 11 at Rollie Mortuary. Interment followed at the Pine Tree Mission in Vanderwagen, N.M.
Tommy was born Aug. 7, 1933, in Two Wells, N.M., into the Kiyaa'áanii (Towering House Clan), for the 'Ashiihí (Salt Clan). His chei is Tód'ik'ózhi (Salt Water Clan) and his nálí is Tsi'naajinii (Black Streaked Wood Clan). He died July 6, 2011, at the Lovelace Hospital in Albuquerque.
Tommy loved the railroad. He was first employed by the railroad as a water boy at the age of 15. He worked for the ATSF Railroad until his retirement in 1993. His job titles included trackman, steel gang foreman and track supervisor in the Southwest Division. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Survivors include his wife, Nellie Skeet; sons, Earnie Skeet, Ben Skeet, Ray Skeet, James Skeet, and Phil Skeet; daughters, Sarah Skeet, Rhoda Skeet, and Loretta Skeet; brother, Steven Skeet; and sister, Helen Nez.
Tommy is preceded in death by his daughter, Etta Yazzie; father, Money Skeet; and mother, Hanazbah.
Pallbearers were Ernest Skeet, Ben Skeet, Ray Skeet, Roy Nelson, Leonard Chee, and Kim Wilson.
Donovan Jones
CHINLE - Graveside services for Donovan Jones, 32, of Chinle, will be held today at 10 a.m. in Del Muerto, Ariz. Father Blane Grein will officiate.
Donovan was born July 11, 1979, in Fort Defiance. He died July 13, 2011, in Phoenix.
Donovan attended school in Chinle and graduated from Sherman Indian High School in Riverside, Calif. He was employed as an electrician.
As an artist and bull rider, Donovan enjoyed breaking/training horses, carpentry work, wrestling, cross country running, playing football, cooking, and spending time with his kids.
Survivors include his sons, D'Andre Xander Jones and Casey Ray Jones; daughter, Summer Paige Yazzie; parents, Edison J. Jones and Donna M. Roan; brothers, Garrick Jones and William Attson Jr.; sisters, Deniall N. Jones, Sandrea Roan, Natalyn Jones, Sasha S. Attson, and Kelsey S. Smith; maternal grandparents, Elvan Roan and Mary R. Yazzie; and paternal grandparents, Bahe and Sarah Jones.
Donovan is preceded in death by his great-grandmother, Eva Desbah; and grandfather, Francis Babcock.
Pallbearers will be Daven Holiday, Felix Benally, John James, Annan Maxfield, Jackson Clark, and Darrell Holiday.
Honorary pallbearers will be Shaun Jones, Will Attson Jr., Chris Jones, Garrick Jones, Hage Tsosie, and Kevin Billy.
A reception will be held at the late Eva Desbah residence (across from Chinle Basha's) following service.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Ernest Begay
CROWNPOINT - Funeral services for Ernest Begay, 53, will be held Friday, July 22, at 10 a.m. at the New Life Fellowship Church in Crownpoint. Pastor Bobby Arviso will officiate. Burial will follow at the Crownpoint community cemetery.
Ernest was born Dec. 11, 1957, in Crownpoint, into the Zuni Clan, for Zia Clan. He died July 15, 2011, in Whitehorse Lake, N.M.
Survivors include his daughters, Rochelle Begaye and Vanessa Begaye, both of Farmington; son, Leandro Begaye of Salt Lake City; brothers, Emerson Lee Begaye and Kyle Lee Begay, both of Sandspring, N.M.; and sisters, Shirley M. King of To'hajiilee, N.M., Lolita Begay of Salt Lake City, Rita Manus of Fruitland, N.M., Vita Begay of Crownpoint, and Melissa Crank of Monument Valley, Utah.
Ernest is preceded in death by his parents, John Lee Begay and Lucy Whitehorse Begay; maternal grandfather, John Whitehorse; maternal grandmother, Lena Sloan; and paternal grandfather, Glonzine Begay.
The family will receive friends and relatives at Crownpoint Chapter House following services.
Cope Memorial is in charge of arrangements.
Editor's note: Obituary notices and photos are published free of charge as a public service by the Navajo Times. Send to [email protected] or [email protected] or mail to P.O. Box 310, Window Rock, AZ 86515.