Appreciated



City councilor Louis Bonaguidi congratulates Joe Vargas and thanks him for his 39 years of service to the city of Gallup during Tuesday night's council meeting.

Photo by Jeff Jones

 

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Vargas honored for 39 years of service to Gallup

Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer

GALLUP — The Gallup City Council presented a proclamation Tuesday to Joe Vargas, who has retired as executive director of parks and recreation after 39 years of service with the city.

Mayor John Pena said Vargas began his employment with the city on Nov. 11, 1963, after serving in the military and then in 1969 was appointed as recreation director during Pena's tenure as city manager.

He said they both go back a long time, playing basketball in the seventh grade and graduating from high school together and that he always has known Vargas to be dedicated and hardworking.

Vargas has a reputation as being one of the best employees the city has ever had, he said, and has accomplished things in the community that will last forever.

Reading from a prepared statement, City Manager David Ruiz said when he took on the position, he quickly realized that if he was going to be effective in the day-to-day management of the city, he would have to depend on the experience of longtime city employees such as Vargas.

Vargas not only directed the parks and recreation department, he said, but also managed the senior programs at the Northside Neighborhood Center and Ford Canyon Senior Center and was involved in sports activities involving children, teens and adults.

In addition, he acted as a liaison with public and private schools in Gallup and neighboring communities, maintained and cared for the city's two cemeteries, and assisted numerous clubs and organizations in the community in the planning, execution and promotion of events.

He also was a board member and served for years on the Gallup Community Service Organization's executive committee which assisted the less fortunate within the community.

Most importantly, he said, Vargas always was first to volunteer his department's services and forces for city projects regardless of what department had primary responsibility.

Councilman Louie Bonaguidi said the quality he most appreciated about Vargas was his ideas and undying optimism when it came to city projects.

Vargas had the conviction that the city's workforce should operate as a team, Ruiz said, and because of that concept, the residents received the service and commitment from the city that they expect and deserve as taxpayers.

"A statement was recently made to me by a member of our community that Joe Vargas took care of our children, our adults, our senior citizens and the deceased with very little fanfare and publicity," he said. "Joe's always avoided the limelight and his only reward has been the satisfaction of a job well done."

Rose Marie "Shorty" Sandoval, who also grew up with Vargas, said he has gone beyond the call of duty and that the senior citizens of the community will miss him, especially because of his kindness and patience toward them. She said she's going to miss him but believes that with retirement, the best is yet to come.

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Navajo prison closer to being locked down

Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer

WINDOW ROCK — Plans for a Navajo Nation prison that would house up to 2,000 Native American inmates have advanced well beyond the conceptual stage.

The proposal is building up support across the reservation because of its financial possibilities. "Lucrative" is the key word a prison could bring in more than $20 million annually to the Navajo Nation in net revenue.

Taking the lead on the project is the tribe's Public Safety Committee, joined by Herb Clah, director of the Division of Public Safety, and Wilbe Antone, director of the Department of Corrections.

Antone said he hopes public hearings can be conducted within the next few months and be completed by May. The hearings likely would be held in the three areas discussed for prison construction, which are Shiprock, Chinle and Tuba City. He is drafting a strategic time line to present to the Public Safety Committee.

The projected cost of the prison is $150 million. Antone believes 960 beds would be constructed initially, with additional phases added, bringing the total number of beds to 2,000. The medium security facility would house 200 Navajo inmates and up to 1,800 other Native American inmates from across the United States.

At 1,800 inmates, with federal, state, tribal and other entities paying, as one possible example, $100 per inmate, per day, year-round, the annual income generated would be $65.7 million. Minus construction-related debt service of $12 million per year for 20 years, and staff operation costs of $22 million to $25 million accounting for about 600 employees, the yearly net revenue at $100 per prisoner per day would be $28.7 million.

However, Antone said the Navajo Nation would likely charge significantly less than $100 per day.

The prison, to be called the Dineh Criminal Justice System Prison Complex, would be financed by private investors buying certificates of participation at $5,000 each.

"In my mind, it will be lucrative," Antone said. "But it has got to be done right. And I definitely want to be a part of it to see that it's done right."

The prison concept has been discussed in executive strategy meetings in Window Rock.

"There are some real opportunities with it," said Arvin Trujillo, director of the Division of Natural Resources.

Shiprock appears to have the inside track for the Dineh Criminal Justice System Prison Complex. An area more than 10 miles north of the chapter house, called Area 7 and formerly a tribal crop enterprise property, has land that is already withdrawn.
Located along the San Juan River, land clearances such as archaeological studies have already been completed.

The Shiprock site is in a rural setting, yet close enough to the Northern Navajo Medical Center and Diné College-Shiprock campus to be easily accessible to the prison.

Shiprock Delegate Wallace Charley supports the project for the community, noting that besides hundreds of permanent jobs and the potential for annual net revenue, it will bring in hundreds of construction jobs before the first prison enters the facility.

"We have a real good isolated area down at Area 7 ... but again, it's up to the people," Charley said.

The prison project was discussed at last Sunday's Shiprock Chapter meeting. Though he hasn't officially endorsed the project, Chapter President Duane "Chili" Yazzie said he too is impressed by the income potential.

"If this project is under active discussions in Window Rock, then the people need to know about it," Yazzie said.

Not all Shiprock area leaders are for a locally situated prison. New Mexico District 4 Rep. Raye Begaye, who lives along Mesa Farm Road near the proposed prison, said, "I'm totally against it (for Shiprock)."

A tribal prison would work best in the Winslow/Holbrook areas, near a major thoroughfare, the Democrat said. The isolated Shiprock location would provide too many "prime" escape routes for at-large prisoners, if that scenario ever occurred, Begaye added.

Begaye said Area 7 is best suited for restored farming, with better access to the Hogback Diversion system possible in the future.

"Area 7 is the hottest potato as far as land is concerned," said Resources Committee Chairman George Arthur, adding that its conversion into range land is under discussion.

More than a prison

Antone considers the proposed Dineh Criminal Justice System Prison Complex to have far more potential than to be just a conventional prison. He believes it can become a one-of-a-kind rehabilitation haven, where inmates staying an average of one to three years can learn skills and regain the personal esteem they will need to succeed once they leave.

"The president (Navajo President Kelsey Begaye) has made this a priority No. 1," Antone said.

Inmates would receive their rehabilitation in a culturally sensitive setting.

The net revenue to be made for a tribal prison "is in the operation of it," Antone said. As such, the tribe will need to enter a fair partnership with a private company that will be its operator. Another option is for a private company to operate the prison, while giving the tribe oversight and authority.

Requests for Qualifications have been sent to more than a dozen private prison operators.

Finding clientele shouldn't be a problem, Antone said. There are more than 10,000 Native American prisoners in the United States, a figure that is growing rapidly. Navajo law enforcement officers make more than 30,000 arrests per year. Six adult detention centers on the reservation, most built in the 1960s, are overcrowded and well past their prime.

Antone said the prison needs a cooperative approach that is beneficial to the entire Navajo Nation. Inmates can learn agriculture skills and possibly animal marketing. The prison can aid the Navajo people by buying their products, such as eggs and poultry, instead of having those products trucked in from Colorado. Business ventures under discussion are as innovative as a possible "lobster farm."

"I don't want to call it a prison," Antone said. "It will be so much more than that.

"I want the money generated from the prison to stay right here on the reservation."

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Emergency group meets at Acoma

Tara Drolma
Staff Writer

GRANTS — If an explosion like the one that happened last week in Truth or Consequences were to threaten citizens of Laguna, Acoma, or Cibola County, would we have the equipment and training to respond?

That was one of the questions the Pueblo of Acoma asked Monday when about 75 people gathered at the pueblo auditorium for the first Comprehensive Hazmat Emergency Response-Capability Assessment Program (CHER-CAP) meeting at the Pueblo.

The goal of CHER-CAP is to improve the safety level of the community, identify the shortfalls in training and equipment, and leave the community better prepared for a mass casualty incident.

Stanley Paytiamo, environmental protection specialist for Acoma, said the meeting was an historic event because so many agencies had never come together at the pueblo before.

The audience included tribal, federal, state, county, and city agencies, citizens and volunteers. This is the first pilot project that has been funded to Native Americans in this area.

Acoma was one of the first tribes to write a HAZMAT Plan and its plan has been used as a model by many tribes and agencies. The tribe received a $100,000 grant in the early 1990s to write the plan. Paytiamo said the tribe is planning to make a video on the CHER-CAP process that other communities will be able to use as a model when they begin their CHER-CAP planning.

Most participants were from law enforcement, fire, hospitals, Red Cross, local emergency planning committees, EMTs, and others who would be involved if an emergency arose.

The hazardous material team from the City of Gallup attended the meeting because it is the only fully trained and fully equipped HazMat team in the area. If there were an emergency in Cibola County, that teamwould respond.

Wayne Rickard with the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave a presentation that explained the CHER-CAP program and the Incident Command System (ICS). The Incident Command System is the management system used to direct all operations at the incident scene. The US Forest Service developed this system for responding to fires; FEMA, the Red Cross and other agencies now use it.

The New Mexico State Police use the ICS when they conduct a search and rescue and when they respond to a haz mat incident. All of the people involved in emergency response will be trained in this system.

CHER-CAP is a four-phase process. Phase 1 began with Monday's meeting. The meeting is used to introduce the FEMA HAZMAT Program to the local jurisdictions.

After the meeting the local agency, in this case the pueblo, will complete a risk analysis that identifies the facilities in the community that manufacture or store extremely hazardous substances. They will determine the amount of hazardous material at the site and the controls that are present at the facilities. From this information they will identify the top 10 chemical hazards within the pueblo's jurisdiction.

In Phase 2 the emergency manager and the LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee) begin to access the community's response capabilities. They research the Fire Department, the HAZMAT team, hospitals, and ambulance companies.

In Phase 3, the police, public works, mutual aid organizations, and volunteer capabilities are evaluated. At this phase a "tabletop and decontamination drill" is conducted. A tabletop drill is an exercise that simulates an emergency. It is called a tabletop because it is done in a meeting room setting.

The final phase of CHER-CAP is a full-scale HAZMAT exercise that is staged with live props, with simulated smoke and leaking liquid and simulated casualties that involve a mass casualty scenario. A peer group from another community evaluates the exercise, which can involve hundreds of people.

Gov. Cyrus Chino told the group that it is the tribal administration's responsibility to take care of the people, animals and land of the Acoma nation. He asked if FEMA would be the lead agency if a catastrophe occurred.

Rickard said the federal government is generally not involved in haz mat incidents; those are generally handled by the state.
FEMA responds only to natural disasters. The Environmental Protection Agency has the jurisdiction for hazardous materials accidents.

Chino said because Acoma is a sovereign nation and it would be very important to have all the necessary memoranda of understanding between the pueblo and the other agencies and jurisdictions in place before a planning exercise or an incident occurred. Laguna and Acoma have agreements in place, but, he said, the pueblo needs agreements with Cubero and Grants and they will need to talk about jurisdictions in the future.

The CHER-CAP program is a voluntary program that is being used throughout the United States to help communities prepare for possible incidents. Paytiamo said the pueblo plans to conduct an exercise (Phase 4) in July. The Cibola County LEPC will conduct an exercise in Grants in August.

For more information, or to get involved, contact Stanley Paytiamo at (505) 263-9375 or (505) 263-9375 (mobile), or fax him at (505) 552-9700.

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Bengals cruise to district win

Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer

GALLUP — The Gallup Bengals jumped on the Valley Vikings and had no problem picking up their first district win of the year, 57-21.

"Every win (in district) is big," said Gallup head coach John Lomasney. "This was a game we should have won."

Lomasney said that his team can now must prepare for their next game.

"We face a very tough team in Cibola on Saturday, so we can't dwell on this win. Cibola is a top 10 team and we have to play better if we want to beat them."

The Lady Bengals, (8-5, 1-0 district) went ahead 10-0 early and never looked back. Gallup led 15-3 after the first quarter and pushed their lead to 30-5 at the half.

Christine Begay opened the scoring by grabbing a rebound off a missed shot and put it back in for a 2-0 Gallup lead. Gallup scored on their next possession when Roberta Tahe was fouled and hit both free throws.

Gallup extended the run with a basket by Tanya Bailey and then Sunny St. Clair grabbed a bad Valley pass and made an easy lay-up to give the Bengals an 8-0. Begay scored again by putting back a missed shot for the Bengals' last points in the run.

Once the Valley ended the run with a three pointer from Andrea Quintana, Gallup finished the quarter with the last five points. St. Clair hit a three and Crystal Pinto hit a jumper with eight seconds left .

Gallup came out in the second quarter with another run, scoring five points before Monique Gonzalez scored with 4:26 left for Valley's only score in the quarter.

Roberta Tahe hit a jumper and a pair of freethrows as Gallup finished the second quarter with a 10-0 run.

Valley scored the first four points of the second half and held Gallup scoreless until Tanya Bailey made a lay-up with 4:37 left in the quarter.

In the third, the Lady Bengals and Lady Vikings battled to a 9-9 tie, with Gallup staying ahead in the game 39-14.

In the second half, Lomasney said his team came out flat and had some problems. "Our intensity was down, and we were playing flat."

The Lady Bengals finished the game with a 13-2 run to pick up the easy victory. Tahe hit a lay-up and a trey, and Carla Paredes and Sheena Begay each added three points in the final run for the Bengals.

Gallup was led by Tahe and Bailey, both finishing with 11 points. Candace Roanhorse added nine to the Lady Bengals total.
Leading scorer for Valley was Monique Gonzalez, scoring eight points.

Gallup outrebounded Valley 25-14, with the Lady Bengals grabbing 12 offensive boards to only three by the Lady Vikings.
Gallup was led by Begay, grabbing six. Jamie Padilla grabbed five for the Lady Vikings. Padilla had four of her rebounds in the first half, two more than the rest of her team did in the first half combined.

Gallup turned the ball over eight times in the game, half of them coming in the third quarter. The Bengals turned the ball over only once in both the first and fourth quarters. Valley had a total of 19 turnovers.

Lomasney said the Lady Bengals are going to have to improve several things on the team if they want to pick up a win on Saturday.

"We are going to have to play defense better, shoot better, rebound better to beat them," he said.

Lomasney said that Cibola was a hard team for them to play, and that they will be a team to watch in the next few years.

"They have a new coach this year, and they are a young team. Their skill level is not there yet, but they are young and they will get better. Next year they will be a much better team," he said.

Grants topples Piedra Vista

Abelita Rose Freeland
Staff Reports

FARMINGTON — The Grants Pirates overcame a slow start in the first quarter to beat Piedra Vista 64-43 in boys prep basketball action Thursday night.

"In the first-half you have to get your legs under you when you're traveling and they wanted to win. They are a great club. They have a lot of heart and I think that is what it is," said Grants head coach Gerald Horacek.

Grants fell behind 7-2 early with Joey Garcia driving to the basket for the Pirates first score. Garcia then brought Grants back within two following a three-point play at the line, but Piedra Vista still led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter on a drive from Matt Waters. Pirate Wayne Smith kept Grants close with a three-point jump shot.

In the second quarter, the Pirates' tough defense resulted in the Panthers only scoring four points, while the offense netted 14.
Stock scored on a pair of free-throws and Robert Gunn drove to the basket for Piedra Vista's only scoring.

After Gunn's score, the Pirates went on a 10-point run to overtake the Panters.

Kyle James had a pair of free-throws followed by a jump shot and Ross put back an offensive rebound and added a pair of assistes to Roshaun McKinney. McKinney also assisted Ross, giving the Pirates a 26-18 lead going into half-time.

Piedra Vista was affected by their four-point performance in the second as they were only able to pull within six, 38-32, going into the fourth quarter.

The Pirates pulled away with six points at the beginning of the fourth quarter with jump shots from Ross and James and an offensive rebound from Karl Chavez to bring the score to 44-32.

Panther Shawn Catron grabbed a steal for a basket, but Grants added nine more points to their lead. Smith made a basket, Chavez had a three-pointer and McKinney and Smith both went 2-for-2 at the line.

"They (Piedra Vista) had a couple of polers and we aren't very big and that is just heart and desire," Horacek said about the big size differential between the teams. "They (Pirates) wanted it more tonight. We got on the boards and that was the difference in the game."

Despite going against a Piedra team that boasts a pair of six-footers at 6'3" and 6'5", Grants, whose tallest player Kyle James is listed at 6'2", grabbed 35 rebounds.

"We played good. We had a rough start in the first-half, but we got on the board, executed good and had a lot of fast breaks (in the second-half)," said 6'0" senior Chavez who led his team with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. "We did good, the whole team did good."

James finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds and two steals.

"I am proud of them. I always say that in the paper but they work so hard for us. They're just a great group of kids. It was a great win, I'm happy," Horacek concluded.

The Pirates made 24-of-34 (46 percent) field goals, 3-for-9 on three-point attempts. The sank 7-of-8 (88 percent) free throws and came away with and 16 steals and four assists.

Leading Piedra Vista in their losing effort was Stock with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Piedra Vista ended up shooting 40 percent (15-of-38) on field goal attempts, 3-for-9 on three-point attempts and were 4-for-10 (40 percent) at the line. The Panters had four assists and five steals.

The Pirates (7-5) will play their first district game on Tuesday night at home against Cuba.

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Tribe sets government forum

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Traditional Governing Forum will be Feb. 20 and 21 at the Peterson Zah-Navajo Nation Museum, Library and Visitors Center.

The Government Development Commission assigned a committee to set the date and program for one of two major forums on overhauling the tribal government. One forum will be devoted to historic ways of governing the Diné and the other for changes based on the existing form.

Then the commission will be able to propose to the Navajo Nation Council a comprehensive reform package that may include reducing the size or composition of the legislative body, or to alter the three-branch form of government that began in 1990.

In a referendum question in August, voters were asked if they wanted to chop down the size of the council to 24 from 88 delegates. They said yes by a 2-1 margin, but the tribal code requires at least half of all registered voters not just those exercising their franchise cast ballots in favor for the measure to pass a level of turnout seldom reached...

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Drunken driver injures Navajo police officer

Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — An alleged drunken driver and a Navajo police officer were injured Tuesday night in a head-on collision about three miles west of Leupp, according to the Dilkon Police District report.

Officer Pete Monroe was just finishing a traffic call when he received a report of an alleged drunken driver headed east on Bureau of Indian Affairs Route 15, the report said.

As the officer headed west, suspect Jeffrey E. Ray, 33, of Flagstaff crossed the double yellow line of the two-lane paved highway. Monroe steered his patrol vehicle to the right to try to avoid a collision, but his unit hit head-on with Ray's 1992 four-door Pontiac around 7:15 p.m. just west of Mile Post 14, the report said...

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Deaths

Alfred G. Randolph

THOREAU — Services for Alfred G. Randolph, 69, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at Thoreau Baptist Church. Pastor Tom Shelton will officiate. Burial will follow at Thoreau Community Cemetery.

Randolph died Jan. 9 in Gallup. He was born Dec. 14, 1931, in St. Louis, Mo.

Randolph served in the U.S. Air Force. He worked as a lumberjack in Colorado, Transwestern Pipeline Co. and a U.S.
marshal. His hobbies included training horses, welding, traveling and fishing. He was a member of Crosslands Mission and was a pastor with Elim Haven Church of Coolidge.

Survivors include his wife, Louise Randolph of Thoreau; sons, Al E. Randolph of Gallup and Bobby Vigil of Sissiton, S.D.; daughters, Linda Butler of Sheridan, Wyo., and Cecilia Randolph of Albuquerque; and 11 grandchildren.

Randolph was preceded in death by parents, Guy A. and Grace Randolph; brothers, Larry Randolph, Paul Randolph and Raymond Randolph.

Pallbearers will be Lance Begay, Carl Butler, Robert Butler, Aric Francis, Calvin Largo and Daniel Largo Jr.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Maxine Peter Wilson

NEWCOMB — Services for Maxine Wilson, 85, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Christian Reform Church in Newcomb, Ariz. Pastor James Fleming will officiate. Burial will follow at Toadlena.

Visitation will be held 1-4 p.m. today at Cortez Four Corners Funeral Chapel.

Wilson died Jan. 10 in Farmington. She was born Nov. 15, 1915, in Sheep Springs into the Red House People for the Walk Around the House Clan.

Wilson atttended Toadlena Boarding School. She was a medicine woman and a rug weaver.

Survivors include her sons, Theodore Wilson Sr. and Thompson Wilson; daughters, Helen Matchers, Sarah Begay, Evelyn Edd and Lorretta Yellow; brothers, Cecil Yazzie, Amos Peter, James Peter and John Feller; sisters, Mae K. James, Elizabeth Sherman, Anita Sandman and Inez Matchers; 27 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

Wilson was preceded in death by husband, Notah Wilson; son, Henry Wilson Sr.; and granddaughter.

Pallbearers will be Nolan Edd, Lionel Edd, Nathaniel Wilson, Julian Yellow Jr., Gary Ashley and Harvey Ashley.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at Black House Valley.

Elizabeth Arivso Grey

MARIANO LAKE — Services for Elizabeth Grey, 92, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Mariano Lake Community Church. The Rev. Jones Dehiya will officiate. Burial will follow on family land in Mariano Lake.

Grey died Jan. 9 in Gallup. She was born Sept. 15, 1911, in Coolidge into the Deschinee for the Tachinnie clan.

Grey was a homemaker, rug weaver, sheepherder and raised horses.

Survivors include her sons, Bob Grey of Farmington and Thomas Grey and Jimmy Grey, both of Mariano Lake; daughters, Mary Betty Charley and Helen M. Charley, both of Mariano Lake and Christina Begay of Houck, Ariz.; brothers, Paul Arviso, William Arviso, Johnny Arviso and Jimmy Arviso, all of Springstead, and John King Sr. of Pinedale; sisters, Wilhelmina Becenti and Marie Johnson, both of Springstead; 23 grandchildren and 53 great-grandchildren.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

William "Bill" Sullenger

JARALES — Services for William Sullenger, 92, will be held at noon Saturday, Jan. 13, at Romero Funeral Home Chapel. Brother Long will officiate.

Visitation will be held from 2-4 p.m. today at Romero Funeral Home Chapel.

Sullenger died Jan. 11.

Sullenger was a farmer. He was a member of the Sierra Vista First Baptist Church of Belen.

Survivors include his wife, Napon Sullenger; sons, Bill Sullenger and Lieu Sullenger of Gallup; daughters, Carolyn Cresto and
Frances Polich, both of Gallup, and Diane Tietjen of Jarales; 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Sullenger was preceded in death by his granddaughter.

Pauline Pruitt

FARMINGTON — Services for Pauline Pruitt, 88, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15 at North Side Church of Christ. Jack Wheat and Gene Chapin will officiate. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, at LaQuey Funeral Home Chapel.

Pruitt died Jan. 10 in Farmington. She was born Aug. 28, 1912, in Texoma, Okla.

Survivors include her sons, Gywn Pruitt and Larry Pruitt,both of Farmington and Tim Pruitt of Gallup; daughter, Dovy Ann Ledford of Greeley, Colo.; sister, Ethelyn Farrar of Arizona, Omajarene Valentini of Texas and Patty Vallucci of Raton; brothers, Mack Mitchell of California, and Kyle Mitchell Jr. of Oregon; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.

Pruitt was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Pruitt; son, Doran Pruitt; parents, Kyle Mitchell and Cordie Mitchell;
brothers, Goldman Mitchell, Cullen Mitchell, Buster Mitchell and Billy Mitchell.

Joe Wilson Sr.

ROCK POINT, Ariz. — Services for Joe Wilson Sr., 58, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 at the Rock Point Lutheran Church. Pastor Tom Wilson Sr. will officiate. Burial will follow on family land, Rock Point.

Wilson died Jan. 8 in Rock Point. He was born Dec. 13, 1943, in Rock Point into the Red Streak Running into the Water Clan for the Tangle People Clan.

Wilson attended Intermountain School, Brigham City, Utah, and Fort Sill Indian School, Lawton, Okla. He received a bachelor
of science in elementry education and a master of art in special education at Northern Arizona University and a master of art in administration at the University of New Mexico.

He was employed as a dishwasher at Rock Point Community School, and was a Navajo teacher, ESL teacher, substitute teacher, high school principal, and special education coordinator. Wilson served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He earned numerous medals.

Survivors include his wife, Alice P. Wilson; son, Joe Wilson Jr. of Phoenix; daughters, Jolene Wilson, JoAnne Wilson-John, Johanna Wilson-Begay, all of Phoenix, and JoRena Wilson of Flagstaff, Ariz.; mother, Alice B. Wilson; brothers, Tom Wilson of Rock Point, Jimmy Wilson of Navajo and Benny Wilson of Glendale, Ariz.; sisters, Lucy W. Benally and Bessie Wilson, all of Rock Point, and Doreen Wilson of Glendale, Ariz.; and six grandchildren.

Wilson was preceded in death by father, Willis Wilson; daughter, Platero Wilson; and grandson.

Pallbearers will be Joe Wilson Jr., Jarvas J. John, Tom Wilson Jr., Chris Wilson, John H. Begay, Victor Begay, Benny Wilson
and Tom Wilson.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at Alice B. Wilson's residence.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Rambo H. Becenti

TOHATCHI — Services for Rambo H. Becenti, 53, will be announced at a later date.

There will be a family meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Tohatchi Chapter House.

Ross Lee Francis

GALLUP — Services for Ross Lee Francis, 73, will be announced at a later date.

Francis died Jan. 11 in Gallup. He was born Feb. 5, 1927, in Verselles, Mo.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.