Experience Tribal language program May 31 at SVS Spring Performance
By Cova St.Onge, Language Project
Coordinator
The Siletz Tribal Language Project
would like to invite you to the Annual
SVS Spring Performance in the big gym at
Siletz Valley School at 6 p.m. on May 31.
It has been an exciting and fun-
filled language learning experience for
Siletz Valley School students during the
2011-12 school year. Since January, stu
dents, teachers and language project staff
have spent two days a week implementing
the STLP language curriculum based on
classroom-specific themes.
Students have learned about baskets,
foods, the salmon cycle and new games
and songs. These classroom language
activities have prepared them for the final
presentation at the Spring Performance.
We look forward to sharing the excitement
of the language project with you!
Additionally, for at-home language
materials, you can find learning tools such
as videos, songs, curriculum with vocabu
lary lists and a talking dictionary that are
all fun family resources at siletzlanguage.
org. Feel free to visit and learn at your lei
sure. The website is updated periodically
with additional resources and materials.
For questions and comments, please
contact me at 541 -444-1036 or Bud Lane at
800-922-1399, ext. 1320, or 541 -444-8320.
Nuu-wvn srxii-xe xuu-srxii-xe hii-
chu xuu-srxii-xe hii-chu xaa-ma (For our
children, their children and their children)
Hvm’-chi’
Courtesy photos by Cova St. Onge
Janon Brown (above) and Jayden
Christensen (right) work on projects
that correspond to the Siletz Tribal
Language Project curriculum in their
classes at Siletz Valley School.
Genevieve Victoria Gavin -1919-2012 Louise Marie Blacketer - 1960-2012
Genevieve Victoria Gavin began
her life’s journey on Oct. 18, 1919, in
Corvallis, Ore., as Mickey Adams. Her
journey ended in Marysville, Wash., on
April 2, 2012, at 92 years, 5 months, 15
days of age.
At the time of her death, she was the
second-eldest member of the Confeder
ated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Her ances
tors were of the Rogue River Shasta Tribe.
A great rollercoaster journey through
life it was. She was bom to Mae Adams
of Siletz, Ore., and Frank James Fran
cisco of Corvallis. During part of her
earliest years, Mickey was raised by her
grandparents, the Rev. John and Martha
(Hunsucker) Adams of Siletz, both Elders
of the Siletz Tribe.
She told stories of going with them
and other family and Tribal members
in search of eels and other food sources
while she was a small child. Rev. Adams
taught Mickey songs in his native lan
guage, which she could still remember
as recently as a year ago.
Seeking a better life for her, Mickey
was placed for adoption and in 1926
found ideal parents in Ralph Emerson
and Grace Rachel (Wrisley) Gray of
Newberg, Ore., and was given the name
of Genevieve Victoria Gray.
Genny completed her public school
years with numerous friends at Newberg
High School, then went on to Northwest
Bible Institute in the Seattle area. It was
there that she met Vernon Guy Dodds of
Waterloo, Mont., who was also a student
at the college.
They wed in 1939 in Newberg and
began their family with a daughter, Gloria
Jeanne Dodds, in 1941. A son, Richard
Vernon Dodds, was added in 1945. After
Vernon’s Navy enlistment in WWII
ended, the family settled in Newberg with
Vernon working at the Newberg Pulp and
Paper Mill.
The family moved to Everett, Wash.,
in the late 1940s after a brief stop in
Kirkland, Wash. Vernon was employed
at Soundview Pulp & Paper (later Scott
Paper Company), while Genny was
employed by a number of retail shops
in Everett’s downtown business district.
Genny and Vernon Dodds ended their
marriage in 1961 and Genny then married
Vince Hugh Kennan of Everett. This mar
riage also ended with a divorce. Genny
then married a former Everett policeman,
6
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Siletz News
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Genevieve Victoria Gavin
Patrick Joseph Gavin. Together they had
many happy years, ending with his natural
death in 2001.
Always surrounded by her children
and grandchildren, Genny was very inde
pendent, feisty and a cut-up. She loved to
laugh at the antics of The Golden Girls.
Painting and playing the accordion, piano,
organ, banjo and ukulele were among her
other pursuits.
When possible, she loved to visit the
Oregon Coast or Newberg and reminisce
with old friends. She maintained her own
apartment until about six years ago, then
moved to a series of senior assisted living
accommodations in the Everett area.
She is survived by her daughter,
Gloria Jeanne (Dodds) Zimmerman (with
husband Gary) of Marysville, and a son,
Richard Vernon Dodds (and companion
Jim Wade) of Las Vegas. Also surviving
are four grandchildren, Sha Ree Hylbak
(Walt) of Marysville, Barbara Torres of
Seattle, Dawn Bakko of Everett and GiGi
White (Jack) of Marysville. Numerous
sisters and brothers also survive, as do
many great-grandchildren, great-great
grandchildren and friends from through
out her long life. Also surviving are
numerous nieces and nephews.
At her request, she will be cremated
with no services. Purdy and Walters, of
Everett, is in charge. A celebration of
her life will be planned for a later date.
Contributions can be made to the charity
of your choice in her honor.
May 2012
Louise Marie Blacketer, 52, of Depoe
Bay, Ore., died March 31,2012, in New
port, Ore.
She was bom Feb. 22, 1960, to Feam
and Mary Blacketer in Coos Bay, Ore.
Louise loved to take pictures with her
camera and walk on the beach to enjoy
the different sunsets. She really loved
“her babies” in the family and one of her
favorite sayings was “kiss the babies.”
Whether they were family or friends, they
all held a special place in her heart. She
was always collecting different things to
give to the children in her life.
She valued her friends and family.
She was a Siletz Tribal member and proud
of her heritage.
She was preceded in death by her
mother, Mary Elizabeth Hudson; broth
ers, Feam Henry Blacketer III and Ronald
Vincent; several aunts and uncles; Theresa
and Larry Leaton, Ginny Gongloff and
Aunt Maxine Smith “Washington.”
She is survived by her father, Feam
Blacketer; sisters and brothers, Delores
Parker, Mari Woosley, Debbie Pirtle, John
Blacketer, Joe Blacketer, James Blacketer,
Louise Marie Blacketer
David Blacketer and Theresa Hudson; many
nieces and nephews; and family members.
Services were held April 5 at the Long
House in Siletz.
Bateman Funeral Home handled
arrangements.
STBC seeks contractor for gate
The Siletz Tribal Business Corporation (STBC) is seeking a contractor to
install a metal security gate across the courtyard entrance of the Siletz Business
Complex (Portland Area Office) in Portland, Ore.
Please visit stbcorp.net or call STBC at 541-994-2142 or 877-564-7298 for
more information.
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Memorial Day Ceremony
May 28,2012 *11 a.m. • Government Hill • Siletz, Oregon
Procession to Veterans Memorial
Honor Guard
West Coast Boyz
The Lord's Prayer - Siletz Royalty
Welcome - Tribal Council Chairman Delores Pigsley
Memorial Day Address - Guest Speaker
Presentation of Flowers
Gun Salute - Honor Guard
Taps
Closing - West Coast Boyz
Lunch at the Tribal Community Center, provided by the
Cultural Heritage Committee - Noon