Smoke Signals 17
JUNE 1,2011
Marcellus John Norwest
May 8, 1929 - May, 22, 2011
Tribal Elder Marcellus "Marce"
John Norwest, 82, a resident of
Grand Ronde, walked on Sunday,
May 22, 2011, in McMinnville, Ore.
He was born on May 8, 1929, in
Klamath Falls, Ore., the son of Leo
and Mary Duvall Norwest.
He served proudly during the
Korean War from Feb. 18, 1953, to
Nov. 5, 1955. He married Sharon
Rae Lilly in Reno, Nev., and they
have been together for 45 years. He
worked as the fire warden in Chilo
quin and worked in lumber mills in
Ketchikan, Alaska, St. Johns, Ore., and Fort Hill and retired as the
Forestry Patrol Officer for the Grand Ronde Tribe at age 79.
He was a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. He
was in charge of the Veterans Powwow for many years and getting
the West Valley Veterans' Memorial in Grand Ronde erected. He
loved to tinker, do bead work, hunt, fish, draw and cut wood.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon of Grand Ronde; children,
Lyndel Norwest, Robin Norwest, LaDonna Norwest, Daniele Powley
and Johnny Norwest of Grand Ronde, Shirley Norwest of Salem
and Jackie Brown of Benton City, Wash; sisters, Marcella "Deedee"
Selwyn and Marilee Davis Norwest of Grand Ronde; half-brother,
Duane Wheeler of Rose Lodge; along with 16 grandchildren, 17
great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by children Marcellus Jr., Andrew, Lon
nie and Carmen; stepson Lyle Johnson; brothers Gregory, Oscar,
Kenny and Frankie; and sisters Janice Knight, Vernetta Harris,
Jeanette Bob and Juanita Curl.
Viewing was held Thursday, May 26, in the Dallas Mortuary
Tribute Center. A funeral service was held Friday, May 27, in the
Grand Ronde Tribal gym. Interment occurred in the Grand Ronde
Tribal Cemetery.
To leave an on-line condolence for the family, go to www.dallas-tribute.com.
Samuel Cody Singer
May 21, 1937 - May 12, 2011
Samuel Cody Singer was born May 21, 1937, in Kayenta, Ariz. He
died on May 12, 2011, at his residence in Salem, Ore., surrounded
by his family and relatives.
He was a longtime resident of Salem. Sam had recently retired
from Chemawa Indian School, an off-reservation Bureau of Indian
Affairs boarding school, concluding 15 years of federal service. He
was a 55-year member of Calvary Baptist Church, 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 born for the To'dichii'nii' (Bitter Water) Clan.
His late parents are Clifford Sr. and Clara (Coleman) Singer of
(To'denas zhaii) Kayenta, Ariz. Two of Sams' paternal uncles, Oscar
and Richard Singer Sr., were Navajo Code Talkers who served in
World War II and both received posthumous Silver Medals for their
service as U.S. Marines.
Sam carried great pride knowing his uncles and many Navajo
people served proudly in the armed services as the tradition continues
f 1
ns -J
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
amongst fellow Navajo speakers.
He often streamed online to listen
to KTNN, the voice of the Navajo
Nation, to stay connected with his
cultural roots.
He was a product of Navajo (Kay
enta Boarding School) and BIA
schools (Chemawa Indian School).
In the 1950s, Sam 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. Last month marked
their 51st wedding anniversary. Sam worked at a variety of local Salem
establishments and worked at Boise Cascade Lumber Mill in Millers
burg, Ore., before his federal service at Chemawa Indian School. He
supported four children who attended Salem-Keizer public schools and
two daughters who graduated from the University of Oregon.
On Jan. 26, 2011, Sam tragically lost his youngest son, Morales,
who was 37 and was the caregiver to his retired parents and three
children. Sam was taking care of his three teenage grandchildren at
the time of his passing.
Sam was head of household and was always on the move with
household duties, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shop
ping, driving his wife and grandchildren to their destinations, ac
companying his wife shopping, in addition to a whole host of other
things he truly enjoyed. He had a passion for sports (professional
wrestling, Oregon Ducks football, Portland Trailblazers basketball,
NFL football (W ashington Redskins), a love of classic rock 'n' roll
countrytraditional Navajo music, Navajo Tribal and mainstream
public affairs, and a fan of the classics (The Marx BrotherswarWest
ernElvis 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 (Caro
lyn) and Michelle; grandchildren, Cody, Elijah, Jaliene and Shaelee;
siblings, Anna Clitso, Clifford Singer Jr. (Inez), Rena Jeff, Raymond
Singer (Roselyn), Ruby Singer, Ida Mae Smith (Ray) and Floyd Singer
(Ada), and many, many relatives that span the western United States.
He was preceded in death by his son, Morales Clifford Singer, his par
ents, Clifford Sr. and Clara Singer, and brother, James Singer.
To honor him, a public visitation was held Tuesday, May 17, 2011,
at Howell-Edwards-Doerksen Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life
Service was held at Calvary Baptist Church in Salem on Wednesday,
May 18, 2011. A lunch was served following the service. A grave
site service was held on Friday, May 20, 2011, at Belcrest Memorial
Park in Salem. For online and audio condolences, please visit www.
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. N.E., Salem, Oregon 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 memories. His smile, laugh and presence will
be greatly missed.
Saddle Club opem
The Grand Ronde Saddle Club is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tues
day, Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday near the former
Grand Ronde Food Bank west of Grand Ronde Road.
The Saddle Club is closed on Thursday and Sunday.
Everyone is invited to visit the horses and go for a ride.
For more information, contact Tribal member Clint Folden at 503-559-1977.
Zcjunmba heM ddd gym
Zumba, an easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired and calorie-burning dance fitness
party, is held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday in the Tribal
gymnasium. The first class is free and $6 thereafter for drop-ins, or $5 if
participants purchase a punch card. For more information, contact Tribal
Recreation Coordinator Alton Butler at 503-879-1369.
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503-87-5211
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