Indian Hills says 'no' to rehab homes
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Residents of the Indian Hills subdivison made it
very clear Thursday night that they would not accept any plans
to build homes in their community to house recovering alcoholics
and drug addicts.
About 100 residents of the subdivision turned up at Indian Hills
Elementary School to hear from Dan Kruis, the agent for Path of
Renewal. The organization is in the process of building three
homes in the subdivision with plans to rent out space for between
nine and 12 people in the recovery program.
Kruis came under severe criticism numerous times during the meeting
for failing to make residents aware of what his program was up
to until after the planning and zoning commission had given its
approval for the project.
City Councilman Louis Bonaguidi, who lives near the location of
the recovery homes, said as the meeting was winding down that
Kruis had not changed anyone's mind.
The meeting ended with one resident urging everyone to contact
a friend and attend Tuesday's meeting of the Gallup City Council
to make the city aware of their opposition.
But the community may have won a partial victory.
Early in the meeting, John Blackburn, one of the residents' spokesmen,
said, "No one is saying that they can't build a home for
recovering alcoholics in our community. What we are opposed to
is the concentration of having all of these people living in the
same area."
Kruis said several times that having the concentration was better
than the alternative, which was to have the recovering alcoholics
rent homes throughout the community.
By having all of the recovering people together, the members provide
a support system that helps them stay sober or keep off drugs.
But by the end of the meeting, realizing that community members
were as upset about the program as they were in the beginning,
Kruis agreed to go to the Path of Renewal's board and suggest
that only one house be built at the site.
However, if approved, that could result in even a bigger backlash
because if the organization did that, Kruis proposes that the
other part of the land, which was donated to the Path of Renewal,
be sold. That money would be used to buy land in other parts of
Gallup to build the remaining two homes.
The suggestion of only one home instead of three didn't seem to
appease many of the people, most of whom indicated that they would
be at Tuesday's council meeting.
Residents raised most of the concerns that were brought to the
council two weeks ago fear for the safety of area children, the
possibility of decreased property values and a general deterioration
of the neighborhood.
"Can you guarantee that if you build the homes that my children
will be safe?" one woman asked.
"Can you guarantee that your children will be safe if we
don't build the homes?" Kruis responded.
He stressed that no violent people will be allowed to rent a room
at any of the homes. He also said that anyone who is housed there
will have at least several months of sobriety under his belt.
As for decreased property values, he said several times that he
did not expect anyone's property to go down in value.
A woman who said she has been a longtime resident of Indian Hills,
pointed out that the same arguments occurred many years back when
the former Rehoboth Christian Hospital was converted into a treatment
center.
But since then, she said, neither she nor any of her neighbors
have had problems with the program's clients. The only problem
she has seen, she said, has come from the staff and the changing
of shifts.
Kruis said that a lot of the concerns expressed during the night
would be found to be unjustified once the homes were rented out.
But that didn't appease the audience, many of whom lashed out
at Kruis for not coming to the community from the very beginning
about the organization.
When asked why he didn't, Kruis explained "that no one thought
it would be an issue."
Because of that, however, several people at the meeting said they
had trouble believing anything he said. "You've been deceptive
from the very beginning," one woman said.
But the bottom line, as one audience member said near the end,
was that there wasn't much anyone could do since Path of Renewal
had the right to do what it was doing.
In fact, Kruis said, any attempt to deny construction of the homes
and their proposed rental, could result in the federal government,
which is partially funding the construction, filing a lawsuit.
By meeting's end, members of the group were talking about wanting
the city council to take a stand and stop the Path of Renewal,
even if it means battling the federal government.
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Ruling may give life to election panel
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Supreme Court at his request
dismissed Eddie Arthur's election appeal from last summer.
The dismissal apparently clears the way for the embattled Navajo Board
of Election Supervisors to resume its duties.
Two denials by the Office of Hearings and Appeals of Arthur's chapter-level
general election protests led to one appeal to the tribe's highest
court. On April 27 he filed his motion to dismiss and Wednesday, Acting
Chief Justice Raymond Austin and Associate Justice Marcella King-Ben
approved the dismissal.
Arthur is a member of the Many Farms Chapter.
During the recent spring council session, Speaker Edward T. Begay
confirmed that when the last appeal was decided, the board automatically
would resume its duties. This also indicated all the necessary positions
had been filed.
But the new board won't have as much work to do as the old one because
the council changed its duties, and is proposing more changes that
would leave supervisors with virtually nothing to do.
The first major change was to transfer its hearing and deciding election
protests to the Office of Hearings and Appeals. The council also has
done away with special elections to fill vacancies, allowing them
to be filled by appointment. The council also wants to transfer almost
all the rest of the board's duties to the election administration.
In his motion to the justices, Arthur maintained they denied him justice
by sitting on the case so long.
"When I filed the appeal documents with this court on Sept. 29,
2000, I requested immediate action because the violation of my rights
needed to be ascertained immediately. This appeal, despite my request,
was not put on an expedited schedule and only recently did I get my
first notice to file the brief.
"Many events have occurred since Sept. 29, 2000, to where the
issues may have become moot due to the passage of time and any arguments
that I raise may have been defeated or mooted due to the passage of
time," Arthur's motion said.
He concluded that in 1990, the court declared "a delay of justice
is injustice. Because of delay, I can no longer pursue this appeal."
Arthur wanted the court to overturn the Sept. 19 decision by Hearing
Officer Karen Kingen Etcitty.
She ruled that since he didn't cite particular code sections (he named
entire titles) he didn't specify "any particular provisions that
have allegedly been violated. Further, the facts of the statement
of grievance are vaguely stated and substantially inaccurate as a
matter of law. Mr. Arthur fails to provide sufficient facts to support
his allegation that any laws were violated."
The grievance was against the Navajo Nation Council and its Inter-Government
Relations Committee, which has acted as the
election board since the council stripped the Board of Election Supervisors
of its duties for ignoring a council dictate to hold the voting Aug.
1, as called for in the election code.
The board maintained it was well within its authority to do what it
did to protect Navajo voting rights in the referendum about reducing
the council's size by three-fourths.
That led to a legislative leadership push resulting about six months
later in criminal charges against eight of the 10 board members. Two
accepted plea bargains, one will be arraigned this coming week, with
the six expected to have rare jury trials in the fall.
Arthur's Aug. 10 election protest gave nine reasons, including:
The council inadequately funded the election, "resulting in a
confused and unfair election."
Confusion resulted because the original resolution in January 2000
set the voting for Nov. 7, 2000, and this would have allowed voters
to become educated on the question and on the candidates. "This
is only fair," he concluded.
The council destroyed the board's independence by taking away its
authority.
Removing the board meant there was no one to certify the count, thus
violating the separation of powers doctrine. (The board and administration
are part of the Legislative Branch.)
He voted for the board's simple referendum language. "I prefer
this language and want my ballot for this language to count,"
he said. "Now I will be forced to vote for a new language adopted
by the Inter-Governmental Relations Committee. IGRC is without authority
to undo the prior, properly approved, language."
There was no reapportionment for the chapter elections.
"The Legislative Counsel and Attorney General improperly and
wrongfully interpreted the law, resulting in the removal of the NBOES
and further resulting in no board being available to count and certify
the ballot that I cast," he maintained.
The Office of Hearings and Appeals lacked jurisdiction to hear his
grievance.
The council, its committees and agents have a conflict of interest
"to conduct any new election especially when the referendum is
directly about their office. NBOES will be the only independent body
to conduct a fair, honest and untainted election."
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Pueblo leaders at odds with district
Tara Drolma
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Lucille Hooper, a Laguna Tribal Council member, says
she is concerned that the Grants/Cibola County School District may
be out of compliance with two federal programs vital to pueblo children's
education.
She says district officials are not working with the Laguna and Acoma
governments and parents of Native American students.
She cited statements in the school district's Indian Program Policy
(IPP) and the federal Impact Aid law that mandate cooperation, coordination
and collaboration between the district and the Indian community. Hooper
says those statutory mandates are not being met.
Hooper raised her concerns Wednesday night at the Indian Education
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting. As an example, she cited
an upcoming on-site review by a team from the federal Department of
Education Office. The two-day review begins at 9 a.m. Monday.
However, Hooper and Lloyd Tortalita, tribal representative and past
Acoma governor, said neither of the pueblo governors had received
notification of the meeting until Wednesday night.
Melinda Malico, a spokesperson for the federal agency, said a letter
informing Superintendent Linda Coy of the on-site review and tentative
agenda was mailed April 11 to the district office.
Malico said a final agenda was faxed to the district on Wednesday.
She said minor revisions were discussed with Coy.
At a meeting last month, Tortalita told Assistant Superintendent Adela
Holder, the coordinator for federal programs, that Acoma wanted to
hold an exit interview at the new hotel and conference center. Holder
agreed.
Bob Tenequer, Laguna Department of Education representative, asked
Holder for the exit review plans. She told him all of the meetings
are being held in the board room in Grants.
Holder said that Bernard Garcia (group leader in the Office of Indian
Education in Washington, D.C.) developed the agenda, not the school
district.
Hooper said, "The feds may say what they want, but it is up to
you to work with the tribes."
Tenequer said if the meeting Tortalita spoke about was not going to
happen, he believed it was a missed opportunity.
Jolynn Sandoval, PAC chairperson, asked Holder when she had received
her copy of the agenda. Holder didn't reply.
PAC member Elian Notah said Sandoval was forced to call Garcia in
Washington in order to get a copy of the agenda.
Tortalita, Tenequer, and Hooper all expressed concern about the agenda.
They said the tribal councils develop their calendars for May in the
last week of April. Tortalita said Gov. Cyrus Chino is traveling this
week and would not see the agenda until Monday morning when the meeting
begins.
Malico said it is true the department sets the agenda. She said the
department had informed Coy of the request by Chino to have the exit
interview at Acoma Sky City Hotel and Conference Center.
She said, "As the agenda ...was prepared, the team decided to
use the standard protocol for conducting on-site reviews ... and to
have the exit conference at the school district's office. The superintendent
was agreeable with the ... recommendation."
In other business:
Patricia Pena, federal program secretary, presented the PAC with a
copy of the final Indian Program Policy for them to accept. The PAC
tabled a vote because many changes in wording it had requested had
been left out.
The PAC voted not to accept the needs assessment survey. They said
the data was presented in a confusing manner, questions were not phrased
clearly and many were not relevant to the objectives of the questionaire
which are to evaluate the Indian Education programs and find out what
parents want to see in the upcoming year.
The number of respondents was unclear. As an example, student data
showed 264 replied to one question and 275 to another, while the data
said everyone who took the survey filled in all questions. The number
of respondents did not match any of the questions.
For the staff survey, about 79 administrators, teachers, and aides
responded, but the data was not tabulated by subgroup.
Holder had presented the results of the survey to the district board
prior to the PAC meeting. PAC members said some of the information
was incorrect.
Tortalita said he has been recommending since January that a needs
assessment must be developed in conjunction with the program development.
Program spending should be studied rather than questions like, "Do
you like school?"
Tortalita and Tenequer said they would like to be part of a subcommittee
to draft the new assessment.
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Bengals add to list of qualifiers
Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer
ALBUQUERQUE — Though the Gallup Bengals will not win the District
1AAAAA Track and Field Championship, Bengal head coach Spencer Sielschott
said he is happy with the team's performance on the first day of competition
and still likes the team's chances in state.
"We always do better in state than we do in district," said
Sielschott, saying that the Bengals do not have the full rounded team
to win the district. "We have good athletes, just not enough
in the right events. Sielschott added that the Bengals do not have
the power to win district because of field events and sprints.
"In the field events, the Valley boys and Rio Rancho girls just
out gun us," he said. "Those schools have premire throwers."
With little chance of taking the district championship, the Bengals
are looking to qualify as many athletes in state to get a shot at
the team titles.
"We have a better chance in state because the other schools start
to eliminate themselves," Sielschott said.
The Bengals were able to take steps towards state by qualifying three
more athletes on Thursday. Paula Etta Houston became the district
champion in the girls 3200 meter run, C.R. Davis took the district
championship in the 3200 meter boys run and Vanessa Hubbard placed
second in the girls long jump to qualify for state.
Felicia Guliford, who has already qualified for next week's state
meet in the 3200 meter run, did not run in the race on Thursday because
she will run in the 800, 1600 and possibly the 1600 meter relay or
1600 meter medley relay on Saturday.
Athletes are limited to the number of events they can participate
in.
Hubbard, who finished with a jump of 16 feet 3 1/2 inches, good enough
for second. Taking first was Valley's M. Gonzalez, with a throw of
17-9 1/2. Hubbard also made it into the finals in both girls hurdles
events, finishing first in the 100 hurdles with a preliminary time
of 15.80, and finished fourth in the 300 meter hurdles with a time
of 51.66.
"I think I did alright," said Hubbard. "I need to get
stronger in the 300. I think I can do pretty good in the 100, I am
seeded first (on Saturday)."
Hubbard said that though she likes her chances in district and she
thinks she did good in the long jump, state is a lot different. "I
will have to work really hard and pick it up this week," she
said. "In the long jump there are a lot of girls around the state
that can fly."
Houston, who won the district championship and qualified for state
in the 3200 with a time of 12:23.99, won by more than 20 seconds,
with second place going to D. Anderson of Valley with a time of 12:47.91.
"I did okay," Houston said. "I am at my peak right
now."
Houston said that she was hurting at the beginning of the year and
did not run until the middle of the season, so she has not gotten
to see much of the competition around the state.
"Threre's a lot of competition at state," she said. "But
I think I will do pretty good if I put my mind to it." Houston
is also scheduled to compete in the 1600 meter run on Saturday.
C.R. Davis took first in the boys 3200 meter run, finishing with a
time of 10:01.61, just four hundreths of a second ahead of second
and third place finishers, both from West Mesa.
"I did well with the weather being windy," said Davis. "I
think I am ready for state."
Davis said that he started the season off strong but then pulled a
ligament in his leg and it slowed him down. Now he said he is feeling
strong again and that, "It will be otugh, but I will run hard,
train hard and will be ready for state."
Davis will also compete in the mile run, and possibly the 800 open
and 1600 medley.
Other Bengal runners that qualified in the preliminaries on Thursday
and wil compete in the finals on Saturday include: Will Belleto in
the 300 meter boys hurdles and 110 hurdles and Maurice Guliford in
the boys 400 meter dash.
Guliford finished second in the 400 meter preliminaries on Thursday
with a time of 50.70, only one hundreth of a second behind the top
seed, D. Rodriguez of Rio Rancho.
Belleto finished second in the 300-meter hurdles prelims with a time
of 41.03 and third in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 16.13.
"I did good," said Belleto. "I have just been a few
hundreths of a second off from qualifying in each race, I kept hitting
hurdles."
Belleto said he feels confident he will finally qualify on Saturday.
"I have cut three seconds off my time from the beginning of the
year."
In the field event finals on Thursday several Bengals just missed
qualifying for state.
Brian Long finished third in the discus with a throw of 130-11, three
feet from the second place finisher. Roxanne James finished third
in the 3200 meter run with a time of 13:07.76, and Miosha Wagoner
finished third in the shotput with a throw of 29-9.
The finals for the running events will take place on Saturday at Valley
High School with the first events to start at 9 a.m.
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Hawks dethrone defending champs
Carrie Loretto
Sports Editor
SILVER CITY — The Laguna Acoma Hawks are in the Class A-AA New
Mexico state semifinals, beating the defending state champs Tularosa
11-5 Tuesday in Silver CIty.
In a rematch of an earlier meeting at the Santa Rosa tournament in
late March, the Hawks exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh
inning to advance into the semifinals for the sixth time in the last
12 years.
Tularosa had just tied the game 5-5 with a two-run home run, after
Laguna committed an error on what appeared to be a routine play in
the bottom of the sixth reported Laguna-Acoma coach Chris Sarracino.
"Louis doesn't usually give up home runs, but after that, I'm
glad they didn't get down,they hung in there and did what they needed
to do. I'm really proud of them," said Sarracino...
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Inexperienced Lynx lose, 17-2
Abelita Rose Freeland
Staff Sports Writer
CARLSBAD — The Rehoboth Lady Lynx didn't expect to go to the
Region B tournament in Carlsbad to beat the Loving Falcons, but to
take every minute as a learning experience.
It's a good thing because the Lynx lost 17-2 in three-and-a-half innings
on the 15-run mercy rule.
"It was so awesome," said Lady Lynx coach Rita Romero. "We
were so glad to be here. All along we have stressed to the girls that
we are a new and young team and we wanted them to come here and learn.
We wanted them to see these kinds of pitchers and players and maybe
instill in them a little bit more of what it is like to be a softball
player."
"I am proud of the girls because they came out and they weren't
intimated and they knew what they had to do," Romero added...
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Bill for seniors needs one more OK
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Arizona House of Representatives has approved
the Navajo and Hopi reservations' senior citizen center construction
bill and sent it to Gov. Jane Hull.
If Hull, a former Chinle teacher, approves the legislation, tribal
officials would like a formal signing ceremony.
The bill would provide $714,300 a year to the Navajos during the
two-year budget period and another $285,700 to the Hopis with the
two tribal governments required to provide matching funds. That
would mean about $2 million each year.
The House approved the bill in a 50-8 vote...
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IHS takeover vote to be decided by old rules
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The IHS takeover referendum which the Navajo
Nation Council might cancel will be decided under current rules,
the acting elections board has decided.
The council's Inter-Government Relations Committee voted 5-3-1 Thursday
to approve new referenda rules but they won't go into effect until
the day after the June 19 vote if the council approves Delegate
Ervin Keeswood's resolution as amended.
Because of the amendments, Keeswood the Government Services Committee
chairman who sponsored the original resolution voted against the
amended version. Joining Keeswood were Budget-Finance Committee
Chairman Lorenzo Bedonie and Resources Committee Chairman George
Arthur. Economic Development Committee Chairman Lawrence Platero
abstained...
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DWI/Drug Court offers rehab over punishment
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Few members of the community but lots of law enforcement
and the judicial community attended a public forum Thursday on the
McKinley County DWI/Drug Court.
The Driving While Intoxicated/Drug Court is a partnership with Magistrate
Court and the Chamber of Commerce, which is where the forum was
held. The chamber helps provide funding for the system. The forum
was held as a part of events for May as National Drug Court Month.
At the beginning of the forum, Chamber of Commerce Manager Barbara
Matthews gave a plaque of appreciation to Magistrate Rhoda Hunt
for her service as the drug court judge.
"I picked up the broken pieces and put it back together,"
Hunt said of the DWI/Drug Court, which she inherited when she became
judge. The court came into being to give another alternative to
jail for offenders...
Ruling may give life to election panel
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Supreme Court at his request
dismissed Eddie Arthur's election appeal from last summer.
The dismissal apparently clears the way for the embattled Navajo
Board of Election Supervisors to resume its duties.
Two denials by the Office of Hearings and Appeals of Arthur's chapter-level
general election protests led to one appeal to the tribe's highest
court. On April 27 he filed his motion to dismiss and Wednesday,
Acting Chief Justice Raymond Austin and Associate Justice Marcella
King-Ben approved the dismissal.
Arthur is a member of the Many Farms Chapter...
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Deaths
Frankie Begay
CROWNPOINT — Services for Frankie Begay, 49, will be held at
10 a.m. Saturday, May 5, at Prewitt Indian Assembly of God. Pastor
Jimson Lee will officiate. Burial will follow at Thoreau Community
Cemetery.
Begay died April 29 in Gallup. He was born Dec. 19, 1952, in Crownpoint
for the Sage Brush Hill into the Zia Clan.
Begay was a graduate of Thoreau High School. He was employed with
WWC Inc. of Albuquerque as a truck driver and Anderson Development.
He was a horseshoer. His hobbies included horses, horse riding, camping,
fishing and hunting.
Survivors include his wife, Sarah H. Begay; sons, Benjamin Begay,
Hebrew Begay, Jonathan Begay, Michael P. Begay and
Marcus P. Begay; daughters, Charlene Begay, Stephaine Begay and Adrianna
Begay; parents, Frank and Eveyln W. Begay; brothers, Irvin J. Begay
and Leonard Begay; and sisters, Virginia Bosin, Helen Morgan, Ella
Mae Begay, Louise Begay,
Andrea Begay and Annjean Begay.
Begay was preceded in death by his grandparents, Leonard and Mae Whitman;
sons, Steven L. Begay and Jacob L. Begay;
and daughter, Victoria Lynn Begay.
Pallbearers will be Hebrew Begay, Jothem J. Harry, Benjamin Lewis,
Irvin J. Begay, Norman Morgan and Kenny Begay.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Sarah H. Begay's residence, Prewitt.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Alva Kirt James
NAVAJO — Services for Alva James, 38, will be held at 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 5, at St. Isabel Catholic Church, Lukachukai, Ariz.
Burial will follow on family plot, Tsaile, Ariz.
James died April 3 in Farmington. He was born Nov. 9, 1962, in Fort
Defiance, Ariz., into the Bitter Water People Clan for the Big Water
People Clan.
James was working as an electrician in Shiprock.
Survivors include his wife, Diane Bydonnie; daughters, Danielle Sky
James, Diandra Dawn James and Kerri Jessica James, all of Navajo;
parents, Mary and George James Sr.; brothers, George James Jr. of
Albuquerque, Melvin James of Phoenix and
Gerald James of Chinle, Ariz.; and sisters, Shirley Barry of Fort
Defiance, Ariz., Loretta Danzuka of Shiprock, Ernestine
James of Grand Canyon, Ariz., Lynn Ann James of Chanuka, Kan., and
Linda James of Phoenix.
James was preceded in death by his grandparents, Hosteen and Helen
Begay and Yannibah James.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Tsaile/Wheatfields Chapter House.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Andrew Yazzie
VANDERWAGEN — Services for Andrew Yazzie, 73, will be held at
10 a.m. Saturday, May 5, at Pine Mission,
Vanderwagen. Pastor Joe Lee will officiate. Burial will follow at
Pine Tree Cemetery.
Yazzie died April 30 in Vanderwagen. He was born Oct. 10, 1927, in
Vanderwagen into the Salt People Clan for the Towering
House People Clan.
Survivors include his wife, Helen S. Yazzie of Vanderwagen; son, Emerson
Yazzie of Vanderwagen; daughters, Angie Yazzie
and Bernice Begay, both of Vanderwagen; brother, Joe Yazzie of Chinle,
Ariz.; sister, Dorothy Dooley of Vanderwagen; 10
grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Yazzie was preceded in death by his parents, Hi and Ye Des Bah Woodie,
and son, Leonard Yazzie.
Pallbearers will be Edmond Bitsie, Alfred Dooley, Melson Skeet, Emerson
Yazzie, Emerson Yazzie Jr. and Robert Yazzie.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Charmaine Begay
WHIPPOORWILL — Services for Charmaine Begay, 17, will be held
at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 5, in Whippoorwill. Burial will follow on
Whippoorwill family plot.
She died in April. She was born July 21, 1983, in Keams Canyon into
the Many Goats People Clan for the Cliff Dwellers People Clan.
Begay was raised in Phoenix, then the family returned to the reservation,
where she attended Pinon High School. She was active in basketball,
running and breakdancing. She also was very active with peer counseling
among students and staff. Her
hobbies included horseback riding, art and running.
Survivors include her parents, Chester and Susie Begay Sr.; brother,
Chester Begay Jr.; sisters, Cecelia Tsosie, Cecenia Begay,
and Charlene Begay; and grandparents, Laverne Nez and Rita Begay.
Begay was preceded in death by her grandfather, Kee B. Begay.
Pallbearers will be Nathan Begay, Jefferson Nez, Jackson Nez, Edison
Preston, Adren Yazzie, and Fernando Yazzie.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services.
Tse Bonito is in charge of arrangements.
Tyler T. Benally
KLAGETOH, Ariz. — Services for Tyler T. Benally, 73, will be
held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 5, at St. Ann Catholic Mission in Klagetoh.
Father Flann O'Neil will officiate. Burial will follow at Klagetoh
Community Cemetery.
A rosary will be recited at 6 p.m. today at St. Anne's Catholic Mission.
Benally died May 2 in Grants. He was born April 19, 1928, in Oak Springs,
Ariz., into the Red Running into the Water People Clan for the Red
House People Clan.
Benally served with the U.S. Army in the Korean War. He worked for
construction companies on the Navajo Nation and for the Bellmont Army
Depot before going to work for El Paso Natural Gas. He retired in
1986 after 30 years of service.
Survivors include his wife, Amelia M. Benally of Ganado; daughters,
Ailema Benally and La Naya, both of Klagetoh, and Valerie Lavender
of Grants; sisters, Dorothy Benally of Beclabetoh, Ariz; and Nancy
Benally and Betty Gould, both of
Shiprock; brother, Ned T. Benally Sr. of Kayenta; and five grandchildren.
Benally was preceded in death by his father, Ray Yabinah; mother,
Clahsoly Tanner; brother, Lee T. Benally; sisters, Mae
Benally and Pearl Gould; and brother, Jonah Tanner.
Pallbearers will be Lawson Benally, Ned Benally Jr., Timothy Benally,
Tommie Benally, Allen Lynch, and Michael Yazzie.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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