‘He was a good man’

Veterans Day events honor past, celebrate life

By Krista Allen
Special to the Times

COALMINE CANYON and TÓNANEESDIZÍ

Using an old wheelchair, Elizabeth Begay transported a young sheep from her sheep corral to her house in Tséko’ Haagééd on Friday.

“I got my lamb from the corral, put it onto a (wheelchair) and then transported him about 100 yards,” explained Begay, 78, widow of the late U.S. Navy veteran Albert Donald Begay, who died at the age of 81 on Oct. 21, 2017. “I got it to the house and then butchered it right there by myself.”

When Elizabeth finished butchering, she prepared mutton stew to be served at the Veterans Day luncheon the next day. She wanted to make hominy stew, but no one was there to help her.

“I could not get hold of anybody,” said Elizabeth, who stays alone maintaining livestock at a home she and Albert shared. “I called all day long and nobody answered, so I went ahead and made some mutton stew.”

Elizabeth and Albert were married for 34 years before he died. Elizabeth says Albert was “the most wonderful man” she has ever known.

“I miss him dearly,” Elizabeth sniffled in Navajo, with tears streaming down her face. “He was a good man. But anyway, I butchered a young sheep all by myself.”

The couple met 64 years ago when Elizabeth was 14 and Albert was enlisted in the military at 17. They often talked about marriage and planned to become man and wife when he returned home from the service.

Unfortunately, that did not happen, said Elizabeth. And he married someone else, “and I was divorced.”

The reunion happened at 11 p.m. one night during Albert’s sister’s birthday party. Albert’s sister invited Elizabeth and insisted that she attend the party.

“I went over there, and she sat me on a couch, and five minutes later people came in,” Elizabeth said as she told her story. “She went over to the door, got a hold of (Albert’s) hand and stood him right in front of me while I was eating. I looked up and I didn’t recognize him.”

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