Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
May 13, 2015
Page 7
Howlak Tichum
Howlak Tichum
Russell Billy Sr., 1935-2015
Rose Mar y Charley, Wush-N-Mi, 1955~2015.
Russell Billy, Sr.
“Blackwolf ”, age 79,
went with the creator
Monday, April 13, 2015.
He was born June 3,
1935 at Parkdale, Or-
egon to Jacob and Lucille
(Stahi) Billy.
At the age of 3
months his father died
from an accident at the
Celilo Falls area. His
mother passed when he
was 7 years old. He was
raised by grandparents at
Rock Creek, Washington
and Warm Springs, Or-
egon. He attended
boarding school at Warm
Springs and Chemawa.
He was a fisherman
at Celilo Falls from the
time he was a young boy
until the time it was sub-
merged by the construc-
tion of the Dalles Dam
in 1957. He was fluent
in his Yakama Language
and he was respected for
his knowledge of treaty
rights, tribal and family
history, as well as cus-
toms and culture of the
Yakama Tribes.
He practiced long-
house traditions until the
age of 29, at which time
A thank you
We have so many to thank
for assisting with our atwi
Russell Billy Sr., during his ill-
ness and funeral. It was a
wonderful feeling to have so
many honor him during these
times of need.
Thank you, Dr. Thomas
Creelman, Dr. Dwight Carpin
and Dr. Reneva Dowty for
your medical expertise.
Thank you EMT staff and
Life Flight staff, St. Charles
hospitals of Madras and
Bend. And thank you OHSU.
Diane Fuller, thank you for
always being there to help in
any way you could, and thank
you all Hospice and Home
Health staff, Warm Springs
Managed Care, and NORCO
staff. All medical and ambu-
lance staff who came to our
home to help care for him
are deeply appreciated.
Thank
you
Cece
Whitewolf for being my
friend and offering our fam-
ily a place to rest during his
stay at OHSU. You are always
so generous and good. And
thank you my friends
Ramona Schuster, Orthelia
Patt, Pam Keo-Douglas, Viola
Tindler, Angie DeLaTorre
and Joan Big Ben for your
prayers and words of com-
fort.
March 20, he was dis-
charged from St. Charles
Hospital-Bend. When we ar-
rived home, we had several
members of the White Swan
Independent Shaker Church
waiting for him. Some of the
men helped him into our
home because he could no
longer walk.
Bishop Raymond “Moss”
Smartlowit, wife Sybil
Smartlowit, George and
Doris Strong notified several
White Swan Shaker Church
members, and they came to
our home to hold Shaker Ser-
vices for him. The prayers
and songs lifted his spirit im-
mensely.
I was grateful my sister
Roberta was there to help
prepare a small meal for our
visitors. Also, we thank the
young man who brought a
he joined the White Swan In-
dependent Shaker Church.
He was appointed Bishop
at the White Swan Indepen-
dent Shaker Church several
years after he joined the
church.
He served six years on the
Yakama Tribal Council. Dur-
ing that time he received train-
ing in Tribal/Federal Law,
TERO, NAGPRA and envi-
ronmental issues. He at-
tended Business classes at the
Yakima Valley Community
College prior to serving on
tribal council. With the
Yakama Manpower Program,
he was a housing construction
leader. Most recently, he
served as Cultural Tribal Li-
aison for the Northwest Na-
tive Architecture.
Throughout his life, he
enjoyed working in the for-
est, he was a woodcutter. He
enjoyed pow-wows and, for a
short time, served on White
Swan Pow-wow Committee.
At home, he enjoyed work-
ing with traditional arts and,
on a daily basis, fed “his”
birds. On his last day with
us, his birds sang beautifully
to him.
He is survived by his wife,
Redine Kirk-Billy and sons
Jacob Billy, David Billy,
Theodore Billy, Perry Billy
and Willie Sitting-Horse
Kirk; and, daughters
Marlene Billy-Comenout,
Brenda Billy, Sharon Billy-
McCoy, Michelle Billy,
Leanda Switzler-Jim,
Marie Switzler, Ronica
Billy and Natalie Kirk.
He joins deceased fa-
ther Jacob Billy, mother
Lucillle (Stahi) Billy, de-
ceased brothers Nelson
Billy, Cecil Billy, Mitchell
Billy and Leo Billy, de-
ceased sons Russell Billy,
Jr., Manuel Billy and
Mitchell Billy, deceased
daughters Marita Billy
and Melissa Billy.
The Dressing and
Overnight Services were
held on Wednesday, April
15, 2015 at Simnasho
Longhouse. At 4 a.m.,
April 16, 2015, funeral
procession went to the
Rock Creek Longhouse
for final services and then
to the Rock Creek–
BlackWolf Cemetary for
burial.
Autumn Funerals of
Redmond, Oregon as-
sisted with funeral ar-
rangements.
case of canned salmon for
him. We didn’t get the young
man’s name, but are still at-
tempting to find out who he
was.
Thank you Fred and Olivia
Wallulatum for your prayers
and songs throughout his ill-
ness since the fall 2014. Many
prayers and words of com-
fort were sent from so many
friends and relatives, espe-
cially George and Doris
Strong. Thank you, Travis
Andy for Shaker Church
prayers and songs at our
home.
The funeral services were
beautiful and honorable to
our atwi, Russell. I extend a
very special thank you to
Raymond
“Moss”
Smartlowit, Bishop of White
Swan Independent Shaker
Church, for the beautiful
Shaker Services at Simnasho
Longhouse. Also, I extend a
very special thank you to
Jerry Menninick, Willy Selam
and Davis Washines for the
honorable
traditional
longhouse ceremony at
Simnasho Longhouse.
We are grateful to Sam
Starr and Alvin Schuster for
dressing him. Even at a
moment’s notice you make
the time to assist us during a
chaotic and sorrowful time.
Thank you, Starla Green
and your many assistants for
excellent preparation for all
meals.
And thank you so much
Washat Drummers and Sing-
ers.
Thank you, Warm Springs
Police Department for the
escort from Simnasho
Longhouse to The Dalles.
Thank you, Columbia River
Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
Enforcement for your escort
from The Dalles to Rock
Creek.
The final services at Rock
Creek Longhouse were
memorable and honorable to
him. Thank you Rock Creek
Longhouse Leaders, Bronsco
Jim Jr., and Damian Totus, as
well as family and friends
from the Rock Creek
Longhouse.
Thank you Yakama Na-
tion for acknowledging his
time served on the Yakama
Tribal Council with the pre-
sentation of a Yakama Na-
tion Flag. Thank you Yakama
Nation and Warm Springs
Tribes for assisting with the
funeral.
Thank you, Levi Keo and
son Terry Keo for visiting him
and being a lifelong friend. He
talked about your visits and
some childhood memories.
Thank you, Chief Delvis
Heath and Shirley Stahi
Heath for checking on him
and visiting.
Thank you, our “neph-
ews/sons” Kenny Billy and
Tony Monroe for helping him
when he needed your help.
I would have never got
through this sorrowful time
without my sisters, Joannie
Selam, CGray Littleleaf,
Vicky Littleleaf, Denise Kirk,
Olivia Wallulatum, Roberta
Kirk, Anita Mendoza, Maria
Godines, Margarita Hawley,
Rose Hawley and Mary Ann
Hawley; and brothers An-
thony Littleleaf, Charles
Littleleaf, Oliver Kirk, Fred
Wallulatum and Victor “An-
gel” Godines.
Thank you, nieces, neph-
ews and grandchildren for
being there for us. Each and
every one of you helped us
in your own way, helping me
keep him comfortable and
clean at home, grocery shop-
ping, house cleaning, funeral
arrangements, and words of
comfort and love. Thank
you, Aaron and Melinda
(Billy) Hart.
Thank you Maria and
Anita for help with paperwork
for the funeral. Thank you
Roberta, Maria and Merle
Ann for making his buckskin
outfit. Thank you Olivia for
caring for his plate. Thank
you Natalie for the beautiful
Memory Cards.
I am most grateful to
daughters Marlene Billy
Thank you for writing
to the Spilyay Tymoo,
PO Box 489, Warm
Springs, 97761.
Rose Mary Charley,
Wush-N-Mi, was born
June 19, 1955 to Marga-
ret Peters Charley and
Russell Virgil Charley Sr.
She passed away April 3,
2015.
Loving Ithla (Mother),
Kahthlah (Grandmother),
sister, aunt, cousin, and
friend, Rose had very
strong faith. All through
her life she was a great
believer. And though her
loved ones miss her dearly
we know she has earned
a place to rest in heaven
for all eternity.
Rose served the Cre-
ator in the Simnasho
Longhouse, and at the
War m Springs Shaker
Church.
Rose was a tribal his-
torian for her Tyghx
people, working with The
Oregon Historical Society,
the World Forestry Cen-
ter, and the Museum at
Warm Springs.
She was a lifelong em-
ployee at Kah-Nee-Tah
Resort, where she served
as the Cultural Specialist.
She also enjoyed work at
the KWSO radio station.
She was a featured
master basketweaver at
the
Northwest
Basketweavers Associa-
tion. She taught her crafts
at the local camps on the
reservation, and she vol-
unteered in her commu-
nity and at the War m
Comenout and Brenda Billy,
and son Jacob Billy for arrang-
ing give away and meal at
the Rock Creek Longhouse
for ones who could not re-
turn to the Simnasho
Longhouse after the burial.
Thank you for being there
for your father: Jacob Billy,
David Billy, Robert and
Marlene Comenout, Brenda
Billy, Stony and Sharon
McCoy, Michelle Billy,
Leanda Switzler-Jim, Marie
Switzler, Theodore Billy,
Per ry Billy, Ronica Billy,
Willie and Mars SittingHorse
Kirk and Jesse and Natalie. I
know a few who could not
be at the funeral due to cer-
tain circumstances, but I do
know that all of you love him
and will always hold him in
your heart, as I do.
Please forgive me if I did
not include your name. I am
most grateful for all that sent
prayers of comfort and love,
Redine Billy.
Springs Shaker Church. She
made friends all across the
world. She was a kind and
patient teacher.
Rose enjoyed weaving,
sewing, and making jewelry
as well. Her jewelry was
shipped to buyers and col-
lectors all over the world
who admired the quality of
her work.
Rose also passed on her
gift of the living arts to her
three daughters and grand-
children.
Wush-N-Mi served her
people in the line of gather-
ers in the Simnasho
Longhouse for the Root and
Huckleberry feasts.
From her childhood she
participated in local fairs and
Pi-ume gatherings at He He,
Tygh Valley and Pendleton
Round-Up, where she en-
joyed the Wee-I-Tii style of
dance.
She enjoyed music, con-
certs and dancing. Being out
in the root fields, and in the
mountains with family were
activities that she looked for-
ward to annually.
Being with family was im-
portant to her; family
gatherings, birthday cel-
ebrations and holidays
brought great joy to Rose.
She is preceded in death
by both her parents, her
eldest sister the late
Cordelia Charley Miller,
infant brothers Willis
Virgil Charley and Willis
Leander Charley, niece
Norma Lynn Charley, and
her Kahthlah’s sister, Flo-
rence Pete, who named
her Wush-N-Mi; Florence
groomed Rose for her
role in the longhouse.
Her passing was both
a sudden and great loss to
our family, her surviving
daughters Nicole, Tricia,
and Sheilina Charley, her
three Kahthlahs Liliana A.
Bugarin, Kevin P. Jackson
and Jordan J. Jackson. Sib-
lings Melissa Charley,
Rosalind
Sampson,
Merilda, Judy, Frank, and
Russell Charley Jr., and
brother Virgil Charley
Watson of Pueblo, New
Mexico.
She is also survived by
many nieces, nephews,
cousins, aunts and uncles;
many friends, relatives and
classmates who were very
special and dear to our
mother.
Rose will be greatly
missed. She was one of
a kind, and her spirit will
live on in the love she
shared.
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