Obituaries for November 16, 2023

Geraldine A. King

GALLUP — Funeral services for Geraldine A. King, 73, of Iyanbito, New Mexico, will be held Friday, Nov. 17, at 10 a.m., at Rollie Mortuary in Gallup, with Edward King officiating. Burial will follow at the Rehoboth cemetery in Rehoboth, New Mexico.

Geraldine was born May 27, 1950, in Iyanbito, into the Tábąąhá (Water’s Edge Clan), born for Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House Clan). She passed away Nov. 13, 2023, in Gallup.

Geraldine earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of New Mexico and a master’s degree in education from Cambridge College in Boston, Massachusetts. She was an early childhood teacher for 30-plus years teaching preschool, kindergarten, and first grade at Fort Wingate Elementary School, Chooshgai Community School, Baca Community School, and several Head Start and FACE (Family and Child Education) programs across the Navajo Nation. She received many certifications and accolades for her dedication to Navajo youth and their education.

Geraldine was a seamstress often making Navajo skirts, tops, ribbon shirts, quilts, potholders, and more. She loved crafting and keeping family records. Family was her greatest joy, especially spending time with the young ones.

Geraldine is survived by her son, Tony Hale; daughters, Sherri Hale, April Hale, Janelle Hale, and Sheena Hale; brother, Raymond King; sisters, Bernice Willie, Beatrice Johnson, Eleanor Duffy, and Victoria Mitchell; and 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Geraldine is preceded in death by her mother, Minnie Enrike; father, Woody King; brothers, Ambrose King Sr., James Smith Sr. and Leonard King; and sisters, Cora K. Endito, Evelyn King, Matilda Yazzie, and Lorraine Keevama.

Pallbearers will be Gerald Willie, Germaine Jones, Malakai Washburn, Bryan Jones, Dylan Jones, and Mathew Jameson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Tony Hale, Raymond King, Melvin Endito, Raymond Endito Jr., James Smith Jr., Frank Willie Jr., Jaron King, and Paul Jameson Jr.

A reception will take place at the Iyanbito Chapter House following services.

Rollie Mortuary oversaw arrangements.

Jerome T. Brown

GALLUP — Funeral services for Jerome T. Brown, 62, of Navajo, New Mexico, will be held today, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m., at the Compassion Harbor Church in Gallup, with Delbert Nez officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park in Gallup.

Jerome was born Feb. 18, 1961, in Fort Defiance, into the Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water Clan), born for Tsénjíkiní (Honey Combed Rock People/Cliff Dwellers People Clan). He passed away Nov. 8, 2023, in Albuquerque.

Jerome attended Tohatchi Boarding School, Wingate High School, and was employed with Navajo Forest Products Industries. He was an outdoors person who enjoyed fishing, basketball, softball, and watching his children play softball.

Jerome is survived by his wife, Libby Brown; sons, Jeremy Brown and Nathan Brown; daughters, Jody Brown, Lindsey Brown and Tori Brown; mother, Mary K. VanWinkle; brothers, Richard VanWinkle, Ricardo VanWinkle and Edmund VanWinkle; sisters, Lucinda VanWinkle, Lorencita Billy and Carmelita VanWinkle; and two grandchildren.

Jerome is preceded in death by his father, James Tallwood; and grandparents, Willie and Gertrude Brown.

Pallbearers will be Jody Brown, Jeremy Brown, Nathan Brown, Lindsey Brown, Tori Brown, Bryant Jerome Brown, Zachary Legah, and Edmund VanWinkle.

Honorary pallbearers will be Ricardo VanWinkle, Philson Bia, Samuel Legah, Othell Wilson, Roland Begay, and Adrian Thompson.

A reception will take place at the Gallup Community Center following services at 2:30 p.m.

Rollie Mortuary oversaw arrangements.

Johnson Hunter

CHINLE — Funeral services for Johnson Hunter, 96, of Chinle, were held Nov. 15 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Chinle, with Father PJ officiating. Interment followed in Chinle.

Johnson was born Nov. 10, 1927, in Spider Rock, Arizona, into the Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water Clan), born for Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House Clan). He passed away Nov. 10, 2023, in Chinle.

Johnson completed school through the 8th grade and was employed with the National Park Service, retiring in 1992 after 28 years of service. He also worked for Santa Fe Railroad and Pacific Railroad.

Johnson is survived by his son, Jonathan Hunter; daughters, Jacqueline Hunter, Victoria Chee, Veronica Hunter, Violet Hunter, and LaVina Hunter; and 33 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren.

Johnson is preceded in death by his daughters, Johanna Hunter and Mary Ella Hunter; son, Jerome Hunter; brothers, Wilson Hunter Sr., Joe Hunter Sr., Tom Hunter, John Hunter, and Archie Hunter; mother, Ahahininanabah Hunter; and father, Hosteen Hunter.

Pallbearers were Murphy Chee, Hunter Brown, Donathan Hunter, Cordell Sorrell, Al Benally, Levi Harlow, and Robert Henio Jr.

Honorary pallbearers were Jonathan Hunter, Wilson Hunter Jr., Willis Hunter, Edward Hunter, and Gilbert Hunter.

Rollie Mortuary oversaw arrangements.

Colleen A. Keane

ALBUQUERQUE — Funeral services for Colleen Ann Keane, 74, of Albuquerque, were held Nov. 10 at the Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Albuquerque, with Father Michael Depalma officiating. Interment followed at the Fairview Memorial Park Cemetery.

Colleen, beloved mother, daughter, and friend passed away Oct. 26, 2023. She was born June 3, 1949, in Detroit, Michigan, to her mother, Jovita Tolksdorf, from a ranch in Montana, and her father, Barney Keane, who was from rural Ireland.

Colleen had a lifelong dedication to working with Indigenous rights and advocacy. Since 1973, she worked with Native communities throughout the Southwest, including the Navajo Nation, Acoma Pueblo, Santo Domingo Pueblo, Salt River-Pima Maricopa, and the Los Angeles Indian Center as a radio and television producer, grant writer, social worker, and teacher.

During the 10 years preceding her death, Colleen was a journalist for the Navajo Times reporting on stories ranging from historical to contemporary issues. During the 1970s, she directed educational programs to implement the Indian Child Welfare Act in an effort to reunite Native American children with their families and tribes while teaching broadcast journalism at the Alamo Navajo and Rock Point community schools in Arizona and New Mexico.

In 1987, Colleen wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning film “The River That Harms”, an investigative study of the largest radioactive wastewater spill in U.S. history that had taken place on Navajo land.

Colleen is the author of “Crashing an American Wake – ‘an Irishman’s tale of loss, struggle, war, the American dream and promise fulfilled’”, a book published in 2021 on the life and times of her Irish father Barney and the history of Ireland.

Colleen’s parting words were “Go n-ardoidlh an bothar suas chun bualadh leat’ — May the road rise up to greet you!”

Colleen held two master’s degrees, one in social work from Arizona State University and another in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California.

Collen is survived by her daughter, Joanna Keane Lopez of Albuquerque; and her cats, Choo Choo and Chi Chi.

French Funerals and Cremations-University oversaw arrangements.

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