TRIBAL MEMBER NEWS
Smith Shows Skills on Crane
Tonya Smith
On May 5, 2007, former 477 Self-
Sufficiency Program client Tonya
Smith participated in the “Women in
Trades Fair” in Portland. Ore. She spent
the day promoting and recruiting other
women in the trades and demonstrat
ing her skills on her crane, as well as
talking with hundreds of women from
around the Pacific Northwest.
Tonya also made her first television
appearance on the morning news pro
moting the fair. She is quick to recog
nize the assistance she has received
from the 477 Self-Sufficiency Program
and the Tribal Education Department.
Nelsons Celebrate 44 Years
from your loving sons — Archie, Park, Arthur, Richard, and Chester
Happy 44,h Anniversary to Pete and Victoria Nelson. May you have many
more anniversaries.
Braxton
Malakai
Kavanaugh
Jackson Wins
OIEA Speech
Contest
Congratulations, Vanessa Jackson,
on winning first place at the Oregon
Braxton is pictured with Great-Great-Auntie Vera
Lafferty (right) and cuzzies Violet and Heather.
Indian Education Association Youth
Conference Speech Contest in Eugene
Ore.
Way to represent! You rock! Every
body is so very proud of you!
Graduates!
Hang Ten in Hawaii!
Vanessa Jackson
Bernadine Van Pelt Kelley
1915-2007
Bernadine died April I9 in
Brookings, Ore. She was born Dec. 7,
I9I5, in Harbor, Ore., to Thomas and
Mary Horn Van Pelt.
Bernadine was a third generation Van
Pelt to live in the Harbor-Chetco area.
Her grandfather was Thomas Van Pelt,
one of the original non-Native settlers
in the Chetco area, arriving in the early
1850s. He married Amelia, a Chetco
Indian woman. One of their sons was
Tom, who was Bernadine's father.
She graduated from Brookings High
School in 1933 and earned her teaching
degree from Humboldt State Univer
sity. She taught 37 years in Harbor and
Brookings before retiring in 1975. She
married Frank Kelley in 1955 in Har
bor, where they made their home.
She was a member of the Harbor
Grange, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Auxiliary, Brookings Presbyterian,
Rebekah's, South Coast RV Club, and
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
Frank Kelley, Bernadine's husband
of 52 years, passed away May 3, two
weeks after Bernadine's death.
Survivors include nieces Patricia
Putman of Bainbridge Island. Wash.,
and Jerri and husband Sid Parman of
Maupin. Ore.; nephew' Clancy and wife
Lynda Oliver of Harbor; and numerous
cousins and great-nieces and -nephews.
Braxton Malakai
Kavanaugh was born
June 9. 2007. He
weighed 5 pounds, 14
ounces and was I S'/z
inches long.
His mother is
Natasha Kavanaugh.
Other family mem
bers include Grammy
Kitti Navarro, Granpapa
Lawrence Navarro.
Grandfather Ducky
Simmons. Uncles Ellon
and Fredrick D. Hos
tler, Auntie Shanlel
Hostler, and many,
many cousins, aunties,
and uncles.
Congratulations to all
Siletz Tribal Head Start graduates
in Portland, Salem, Springfield, and Siletz!
In Siletz, 44 Head Start students took part in the graduation ceremony
A total of 23 graduates will start kindergarten this fall.
Bernadine Van Pelt Kelley
Bernadine was preceded in death
by parents Thomas and Mary Van Pelt,
sisters Bertha Beers and Bernice
Cagley, and brothers Kenneth and
Clarence Van Pelt.
Bernadine was soft-spoken, gentle,
and kind. She was loved by all who
knew her. She lived - and died - with
grace and beauty.
____
July 2007
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Siletz News
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