Late Code Talker ‘gentle, kind, and loved everyone’
Special to the Times | Emily Zentner A Navajo Honor Guard officer gives Kellwood's flag to his daughter, Connie Kellwood-Pitt, at the end of the funeral honors.
By Emily Zentner
Special to the Times
PHOENIX
Dozens of veterans, family members and Navajo Nation officials gathered Thursday (Sept. 8, 2016) at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix for the funeral of Marine veteran and Navajo Code Talker Joe Kellwood.
Kellwood, who served in World War II, died on Monday, Sept. 5 at age 95. He and his fellow Navajo Code Talkers made a name for themselves as Marines in the Pacific Theater using codes built on the Navajo language to transmit secret messages and help the U.S. win the war. Two other Code Talkers were also in attendance. One of them, Navajo Code Talkers Association President Peter MacDonald, was happy to see the large turnout for Kellwood’s funeral. He described Kellwood as someone who was “gentle, kind and loved everyone,” and represented the values the Code Talkers fought for.
“The Code Talkers truly represent what we are as Americans,” MacDonald said. “We are a diverse community, of different languages, different skills, different talents, even different nationalities. When that is threatened, we all come together to protect what we love most: freedom and liberty.”
Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye attended the service, which began with three volleys of rifle fire, a flyover and a performance of “Taps.” He said that he makes it a point to come out to every Code Talker’s funeral when they pass.
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