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( Reservation, conL )
resource management program, the Tribe
expects to develop and staff an average
of 8.6 new positions annually for the
next five years. By 1993, the tribe
expects to employ 59 full time staff.
The annual payroll for a staff of this
size will be approximately $1.1 mil
lion. The impact of these additional
positions within the Tribe will also
create an estimated 36 new jobs else
where in the Nest Valley area.
The creation of an economic development
program will create further job oppor
tunities for both Tribal members and
the non-Indian community as well. Fur
thermore, the construction of Tribal
facilities and homes over the next 10 -20
years will provide employment oppor
tunities for approximately 20-30 po
sitions annually.
ESTHER LABONTE: 1895 - 1987
Since restoration, the Tribe has rap
idly developed programs and services
for its members. The tribe currently
offers services which include health,
housing, education, enrollment, social
services, and fish and wildlife. The
Tribal staff consists of 17 full-time
staff.
The Tribal programs are made available
through contracts with the Bureau of
Indian Affairs and Indian Health Serv
ices. The Tribe currently administers
13 of these contracts with an approxi
mate value of $1.2 million annually.
The primary impact area of these reve
nues are Polk, Yamhill, and Tillamook
counties, particularly the Sheridan,
Nillamina and Grand Ronde areas.
The current average monthly expenditure
for the combined Tribal programs, in
cluding payroll, is $97,000. One of
the Tribal health components alone ex
pends a monthly average of $29,000 for
medical services and prescriptions for
Tribal members.
The Tribal administration makes a con
tinuous effort to buy needed services
and supplies from local vendors. It is
the Tribe's philosophy that every ef
fort should be made to enhance and sup
port the local economies. By doing
this the Tribe, as a new governmental
entity, can have a significant stabi
lizing effect on the economy of the
West Valley area, according to Willis.
Esther Mary Jones LaBonte, one of the
tribe's oldest members, died on March
27th, 1987. Esther was 91 years old.
Esther, .full blooded Indian, lived in
Portland. She grew up in Grand Ronde
and lived in Glide, near Roseburg, and
Springfield before moving to Portland
in 1984.
Esther leaves behind many memories of
her life and her kindness to others.
Her mother died when she was two years
old. Thereafter, Esther lived in a
Catholic boarding school on the former
Grand Ronde Reservation.
When she turned 18 , Esther left the
reservation and moved to Glide, Oregon.
She was soon hard at work splitting
timber and taking care of her mountain
side property, according to an article
in the Springfield News written in July
1982.
Some of Esther's most vivid memories
came during World War II. During the
war, she spent many nights watching
planes fly over Glide. She never spot
ted any enemy aircraft, but she did
pass along the word that a German agent
had entered Oregon, according to the
news story.
During the war, she picked berries to
buy Liberty Bonds. Four of her daugh
ters worked as welders in Portland and
her oldest son, Bob, died in combat on ""
an island in the South Pacific. Her fa
vorite day of the year was Decoration
Day, states the article.
Esther's daughter, Betsy M. Schaefer,
recalls many years ago when her mother
and their neighbor had an arguement
over the property line. It didn't last
long, states Betsy.
w ; .
Y v J
Mother went into the house and came out
with a double barrel 12 guage shot gun,
both barrels loaded and cocked. He
took off and it wasn't long after that
he sold his place and left, recalls
Betsy.
She also recalls a time when she wrote
a letter to her mother in German. Es
ther responded with a letter in Chinook
Jargon:
Nika tanoos htootchman, . .Nika iskum
mika pepa... Mika tiggy dumduks Siwash
wa wa. Pulutch nika sitkim dolla. (My
little girl... I got your letter. You
want to know Indian talk? Give me a
half dollar) , wrote Esther.
Betsy also remembers the time, during
World War II, when Esther was at the
bus station in Portland.
A young army man, his wife and baby
were going to California with their
belongings in paper bags; diapers,
bottles and all. Mother bought a 5 cent
shopping bag, put her things in the bag.
and gave her suit case to the young
couple.
That was mother, always helping anyone
in need, said Betsy.
"She was always donating to different
charities and helping her neighbors ,"
says daughter Esther Borquez. "She was
spritually strong."
Descendents of Esther include:
Betsy M. Schaefer (youngest daughter) ,
Schaefer's son Floyd C. Daniels and his
children Jefferie and Sara; Schaefer's
daugher Hellen Tobiska and her children
Carl and Brian; Schaefer's daughter
Betsy M. Stone and her children Brenna
and Brett; Schaefer's daughter Sonya
Connelly and her children Marlyn,
Trenna and Maranda; Schaefer's son John
Young and his son Mathew; and .
Schaefer's son, Glen Schaefer.
Rosetta LaBonte Manangan (daughter) and
her children Alfredo C. Manangan; Phil
amena C. Manangan; Marcia C. Stake and
her children Angie and Serina; Thomas
C. Manangan and his children Sorjen,
Roman and Iran; Rosetta C. Wise and her
children Ian, Samantha and Josephine;
Jerry C. Manangan and his child Tyrone;
Steve C. Manangan and child Monica; and
Elaine C. Manangan.
Floyd H. LaBonte (son) and his children
Allen, Kimberly, Sarah and Mark'.
Lester LaBonte (son) and his children
John LaBonte; Michelle Dunigan and her
child, Selisa; Jolee Pitt; and Ramona
LaBonte.
Pauline Lomboy (daughter, deceased) and
her children Delores Parmenter, Victor
Lomboy and David Lomboy.
Esther Borquez (daughter) and her chil
dren; Esther James and her children
Angie and Jeremy; Anthony Borquez;
Larry Borquez; Joeseph Borquez; Ber
nadett Borquez, Tim Douglas; Angie
Smith and children Tiffany and Tosha;
Bernard Borquez, Ernest Jr. Borquez,
Veronica Cagle; and Yolanda Borquez.
Esther was buried at the tribal
cemetary in Grand Ronde.
POW-WOW COMMITTEE FUNDRAISER ACTIVITIES
MAY 9 - BINGO AND BAKE SALE
GRAND RONDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
4 - 6 P.M.
MAY 2,16 & 30 - FRYBREAD STAND OPEN
SPIRIT MOUNTAIN STORE
IN GRAND RONDE