Obituaries for Oct. 8, 2015

Raymond Moore

PAGE, Ariz. — Funeral services for Raymond Moore, 73, of Page, Ariz., will be held Saturday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m. at the Faith Bible Chapel (551 San Francisco Road) in Page. Visitation will take place one hour prior to service at 9 a.m. Burial will follow at the Page City Cemetery.

Raymond was born Feb. 5, 1943, in Cow Springs, Ariz., to Lester and Hazel Moore. He passed away Oct. 2, 2015.

Raymond worked for SRP for 21 years, and retired from their employment. He also worked for Bashas for five years. He was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan. Above all he was a loving husband and father. He became an evangelist in 1973, and traveled all over the world sharing God’s love. His life legacy was based on a foundation of love.

Norvel Owens Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.norvelowensmortuary.com.

James Rousseau

ALBUQUERQUE — Funeral services for James Rousseau were held Oct. 2 at the West Mesa Christian Church in Albuquerque. Interment followed Oct. 5 at the Forest Park Cemetery in Anthony, Kan.

James was born April 27, 1925, in a log cabin his father built in Baudette, Minn. Three years later, his father homesteaded a farm near Waldron, Kan.

James passed away peacefully Sept. 29, 2015, surrounded by his loving family and pastor.

James helped with harvesting alfalfa, wheat and corn, along with attending to 1,200 head of cattle. He has three surviving siblings out of five and attended a one-room schoolhouse.

James attended seminary school, Phillips University, in Enid, Okla., and was an ordained minister for 17 years throughout Kansas and Oklahoma. He then moved to Chinle, on the Navajo Reservation, in 1962 and received his master’s degree in guidance counseling. He worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for 25 years supervising dormitory affairs. He was the chess coach there and was also a volunteer firefighter during that time. He retired in 1990 and moved to Albuquerque. He was a docent at the Museum of Natural History until the age of 85.

James married his wife, Jeanne, on June 9, 1950. They were married for 58 years, until her death in 2008. He has two daughters, Mary and Lisa, who both live in Albuquerque, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

James was an active member of West Mesa Christian Church in Albuquerque for 20 years. His hobbies included gardening, coin and stamp collecting, traveling and being the best dad and grandfather in the world.

French Funerals was in charge of arrangements.

Visit the online guestbook for James at www.FrenchFunerals.com.

Bernice Nellie Curtis

SNOWFLAKE, Ariz. — Funeral services for Bernice Nellie Curtis, 67, of Sanders, Ariz., were held Oct. 3 at the Main Street Chapel in Snowflake, Ariz., with Elder Meza officiating. Interment followed in Snowflake.

Bernice was born May 15, 1947, in Winslow, Ariz., into the Tódich’ii’nii (Bitter Water Clan), born for Táchii’nii (Red Running Into the Water People Clan). She died Sept. 29, 2015, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Bernice was employed as a housekeeper in the hotel industry. She enjoyed being a housewife and rug weaver.

Bernice is survived by her husband, John Nez Curtis; sons, James Curtis, Julius Curtis and Preston Curtis; daughters, Shelia Curtis, Carol Curtis, Karen Curtis, and Kaylene Curtis; brothers, Dil Franklin, Albert Franklin and Oliver Franklin; and 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Julius Curtis, Preston Curtis, Karen Curtis, James Curtis, Elliot J., and Kyle Tunney.

Honorary pallbearers were John Curtis Sr., Dil Franklin, Albert Franklin, and Gabriel Curtis.

Silver Creek Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

John Lester DeArmond

GALLUP — Funeral services for John Lester DeArmond, 42, were held Oct. 6 at The Lighthouse Church in Gallup. Interment followed in Gallup.

John was born Aug. 8, 1973, in Gallup. He died Sept. 30, 2015, in Carlsbad, N.M.

John graduated from Gallup High School in 1992. John and his sister owned Johns Used Cars for 15 years. He was an avid car and truck lover, and a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Most of all he loved his sons.

John is survived by his parents, John and Patricia DeArmond; sons, Michael DeArmond and Jacob DeArmond; and sister, Evonne S. Wyatt.

Pallbearers were Dustin Wyatt, Travis Wyatt, Edward DeArmond, Jeffrey DeArmond, Antonio Savedra, and Joseph DeArmond.

Rollie Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

Nathaniel Browning

GALLUP — Funeral services for Nathaniel “Nate” Browning, 51, will be held Friday, Oct. 9, at 2 p.m. at Rollie Mortuary in Gallup.

Nathaniel was born Dec. 26, 1960, into the Tó’aheedliinii (The Water Flow Together Clan), born for Haltsooi (Meadow People Clan). He was missing and passed away Oct. 9, 2009.

Nathaniel attended Crownpoint Boarding School and graduated from Gallup High School. He served in the Army and attended many colleges, including Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, Haskell Indian Junior College and Fashion Institute of Design in South Beach, Fla. He loved fashion and sewing, and was a member of the Native American Church.

Nathaniel was the youngest son of the late Leo and Minnie Browning of Twin Buttes, N.M.

Nathaniel is survived by his four brothers and five sisters. He was a wonderful uncle, cheii and friend.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Roberta Lee Eagleman (April 11, 1957 — Oct. 2, 2014)

Roberta Lee Eagleman, known to many as Bobbi Watchman, was born April 11, 1957, in Phoenix, at the old Indian hospital, located on the Indian school campus. Her mother was the late Ella Eagleman (born Yazhe) of Naschitti, N.M. Her father was the late Larry Eagleman of Poplar, Mont.

Bobbi was born into the Táchii’nii (Red Running Into the Water People Clan), born for the Wahpeton Sioux Clan. When born she already had siblings Geri, Dennis and Larry Jr., awaiting her.

In 1965, her brother John was born at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, Calif. She continued living in Phoenix until age eight going to school at Jackson Elementary.

In the summer of 1969 the family moved to Mary and David Billy’s place in Naschitti, where Bobbi went to Naschitti Elementary. The family moved to Window Rock where her mom found work at Fed Mart as a produce clerk.

While the boys continued school at Window Rock High, the children attended St. Michael’s Catholic School where Bobbi graduated in 1975. She went on to study at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, for a couple of years during which time she worked at Fed Mart, also in the produce department from 1973 to 1974.

Bobbi started working with the Navajo Tribe (this was before it became a nation) in January 1979 with the transportation department as a Records Clerk II under Keith Begay. She was a hard worker and was promoted during her probationary period to Records Clerk III. She earned another promotion in September 1981 as fleet coordinator with Fleet Management under Anslen Foster. She stayed with the department until her untimely passing.

In her single days she loved going to rodeos, even going with her girl buddies to Frontier Days in Wyoming on a couple of occasions. Whenever the family needed help with one of their family gatherings, be it a squaw dance or a birthday party, she would jump in and help. For a while she was a Master Cake Maker, baking and decorating cakes for all occasions.

As they say, she wore many hats and even became a notary public while working her regular tribal job. Her fellow employees describe her as being efficient, spontaneous and a perfectionist, which made the department efficient and well thought of. She became the one to visit the area car/truck dealerships to decide where Fleet would purchase from and then which departments got which vehicles.

At this time she met Dennis Watchman Jr., of Lupton, Ariz., and after a whirlwind romance they married Nov. 21, 1999, at Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nev. Dennis was a great guy and contributed a lot to the extended family for the five years he lived married to her until his early death.

To be perfectly frank, her evenings were often spent working on office work. That’s where her perfectionist nature was displayed. She also put in many untold hours as the secretary of the Parish Council at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Fort Defiance, where she was described as humble, hard-working and dedicated.

All her life Bobbi loved cats. In Window Rock, where she lived, she had Kitty Wells, Missy and Katzan. Her house has almost anything related to cats, even a kitty-pawed turquoise key chain. Earlier she liked country western music then later rock and roll. Her favorite rock group was Grand Funk Railroad as well as Adam Lambert. For relaxation she loved the Peanuts comic strip, particularly Snoopy and Lucy and the Blondie comic strip, particularly Dagwood. Bobbi also enjoyed doing word search puzzles.

Bobbi will be missed by a multitude of friends and family. She was selfless, always thinking of other peoples’ needs. If you needed help with something she would invariably put her best efforts to the task. When her mother and aunt Ethel passed away she stepped in to help keep brother John and nephew Kevin going. Everyone that knew her will truly miss her. Nonetheless we feel she will enjoy being back with her mom, aunts and uncles. She and her husband Dennis will be up there dancing with Elvis for eternity.

Bobbi is survived by her nieces, Theresa Eagleman of Tempe, Ariz., and Mikaela Honhongva of Selma, Calif.; and nephews, Thomas Eagleman of Tempe, Kevin Eagleman of Window Rock, Rick Eagleman Honhongva of Selma, and Michael Eagleman Honhongva of Selma.

Bobbi’s funeral service was held Oct. 8, 2014, at Good Shepherd in Fort Defiance, with burial at Naschitti Community Cemetery.