Siletz news /, July 01, 2011, Page 13, Image 13

Geri Jordan - 1933-2011------------------------------------------
She was bom July 11, 1933, to Anita
(Reed) and Harry Gerard in Florence, Ore.
Geri spent her life dedicated to raising
her children and taking care of her family.
In her later years, her family couldn’t help
but return the favor.
Geri spent her life in Northwest
Oregon and was an Elder of the Siletz
Tribe. She loved Elvis and reruns of
Walker Texas Ranger. She also enjoyed
a good game of bingo, challenging word
games and relaxing drives in the country.
She is survived by her son, Jerry
(Michelle) Myrland of Lincoln City; her
sister, Mary Joyce Gerard of Kentucky;
brothers Jim Cook of Salem, Ore., and
Raymond Gerard of California; grandchil­
dren Jeremy Myrland and Joshua Myrland
of Portland and Jennifer Myrland of
Lincoln City.
Her son, Carl Myrland, died earlier
in 2005.
A funeral service and potluck were
held at the Siletz Tribal Community
Center on June 1, with burial following at
the Paul Washington Cemetery in Siletz.
A visitation was held prior to the service.
Arrangements were entrusted to Bate­
man Funeral Home.
Samuel Cody Singer -1937-2011
Samuel Cody Singer was bom May
21, 1937, in Kayenta, Ariz. He died May
12,2011, at his residence in Salem, Ore.,
surrounded by his family and relatives. He
was a longtime resident of Salem.
Sam recently had retired from Che-
mawa Indian School, an off-reservation
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) boarding
school, concluding 15 years of federal
service. He was a member of Calvary
Baptist Church for 55 years, where he
was baptized and married.
Sam was very proud of his American
Indian heritage and exhibited Native pride
in many ways. He was a full-blooded
Navajo enrolled in the Western Agency
of the Navajo Nation. He was from the
To’aah’ni’ (Near the Water) Clan bom for
the To’dichii’nii’ (Bitter Water) Clan. His
late parents are Clifford Sr. and Clara (Cole­
man) Singer of (To’denas zhaii) Kayenta.
Two of Sam’s paternal uncles, Oscar
and Richard Singer Sr., were Navajo
Code Talkers who served in World War
II and who both posthumously received
Silver Medals for their service as U.S.
Marines. Sam carried great pride know­
ing his uncles and many Navajo people
served proudly in the armed services as
the tradition continues today.
The Navajo language (Dine Bizaad) is
his first language and he spoke it fluently
on a daily basis with his wife, Irene, at
home and among fellow Navajo speak­
ers. He often streamed online to listen to
KTNN, the voice of the Navajo Nation,
to stay connected with his cultural roots.
Sam was a product of Navajo (Kayenta
Boarding School) and BIA (Chemawa)
schools. In the 1950s, he attended Che­
mawa as part of a pilot program for Navajo
students. Upon completion, he continued
to reside and work in the Salem area.
On April 16, 1960, he married his
Navajo sweetheart, Irene Rose (Billy)
Singer of (Kin Hozhoni) Manuelito,
N.M. This year marked their 51st wedding
anniversary.
Sam worked at a variety of local
Salem establishments and at Boise Cas­
cade Lumber Mill in Millersburg, Ore.,
prior to his federal service at Chemawa.
He supported four children who attended
Salem-Keizer public schools and two
daughters who graduated from the Uni­
versity of Oregon.
On Jan. 26, 2011, Sam tragically lost
his youngest son, Morales, who was 37
years old and the caregiver to his retired
parents and three children. Sam was tak­
ing care of his three teenage grandchildren
at the time of his passing.
Sam was head of household and
always was on the move with household
duties such as cooking, cleaning, laun­
dry, grocery shopping, driving his wife
and grandchildren to their destinations
and accompanying his wife shopping, in
addition to a whole host of other things
he truly enjoyed.
He had a passion for sports (profes­
sional wrestling, Oregon Duck football,
Portland Trailblazers basketball, pro
football’s Washington Redskins), a love
of classic rock-‘n’-roll/country/traditional
Navajo music, Navajo Tribal and main­
stream public affairs and was a fan of the
classics (The Marx Brothers/war/westem/
Elvis movies and cartoons).
He enjoyed the beauty of the State of
Oregon, especially the Oregon Coast, the
high deserts of Central Oregon and his
other home, the Navajo Indian reservation
in the southwestern United States.
Sam is survived by his wife (Irene);
children Marcie (Josh), Mike (Carolyn)
and Michelle; grandchildren Cody, Elijah,
Jaliene and Shaelee; siblings Anna Clitso,
Clifford Singer Jr. (Inez), Rena Jeff, Ray­
mond Singer (Roselyn), Ruby Singer, Ida
Mae Smith (Ray) and Floyd Singer (Ada);
and many, many relatives who span the
western United States.
He is preceded in death by his son
(Morales Clifford Singer), his parents
(Clifford Sr. and Clara Singer) and brother
(James Singer).
To honor him, a public visitation
was held May 17 at Howell-Edwards-
Doerksen Funeral Home. A celebration
of life service was held at Calvary Baptist
Church in Salem on May 18. A lunch was
served following the service.
A grave site service was held May 20
at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem. For
online and audio condolences, please visit
HED-FH.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks
for contributions to the Morales Clifford
Singer Memorial Fund at U.S. Bank of
Oregon in his honor for his grandchildren
or in his memory to Irene Singer, 4153
Vernon St. NE, Salem, OR 97305.
Although Sam may not be of physical
body, he is now with his son and relatives,
with his Lord and Savior in heaven above
living on in our hearts and in our memo­
ries. His smile, his laugh and his presence
will be greatly missed.
Photo by Diane Rodriquez
Members of the boys’ basketball team at Siletz Valley Early College Academy stand with a championship banner after receiving their championship rings during an
assembly on May 26. Tribal Council Chairman Delores Pigsley and Tribal Council members Loraine Butler and Tina Retasket helped present the rings. Team members,
from 1 to r: Jacob Anderson, Corey Loving Jr. San Poil Whitehead, Bo Johnson, Steve Lindstrom, Jon Lee, Erick Rice, Dakota Burgins, Coach Dave Morgan, Chris Garza,
Jake Carr and Austin Lancaster. Not pictured: Braxton Morford, Jeff Sweet and Coach Mike Fisher.
July 2011
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Siletz News
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