S moke S ignals
OCTOBER 15, 2014
15
Walking On...
Shirley Mae Snell
June 27, 1935 – Sept. 25, 2014
Tribal Elder Shirley Mae Snell, 79, of
Batesville, Ark., walked on on Thursday,
Sept. 25, 2014, in Batesville.
She was born June 27, 1935, in Flint,
Mich., to Fred Allen and Marie LaChance
Allen. She was a preschool director for
many years and later returned to school
and became a nurse.
Shirley dedicated her life to God, her
family, loving her children, grandchildren
and great-grandchildren, and is most re-
membered as someone who put all others
before herself. Shirley was proud of her
Native American heritage and belonging
to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
She enjoyed gardening, crocheting, sew-
ing and reading. She enjoyed classic TV and
movies. She had a special love for teaching children and caring for seniors.
She was a very devoted mother and grandmother, and lived her life
serving God and others. She was a faithful and loving, spiritual and
prayerful woman who made an impact on the many lives she touched.
Survivors include her three daughters, Jamie Smallwood of Bates-
ville, Tracy Schwarz of New Braunsfels, Texas, and Andrea Singleton
of McMinnville, Ore.; a brother, Eddie Allen of Flint, Mich.; five grand-
children, Candena Fuller, Stephanie Rosas, Christopher Dickie, Josh
Gamel and Jennifer Dickie; and four great-grandchildren, Nathan
Rosas, BreKalyn Gamel, Adelynn Dickie and Hadley Fuller.
She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant daughter, Mi-
chelle Smallwood; her first husband, James Smallwood; five sisters,
Deloris Good, Jean Bedard, Dorothy Allen, Mary Sims and Ann Spohn;
and three brothers, James Spohn, Robert Allen and Richard Allen.
Services were held Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Willis Funeral Service in
Batesville. Interment followed in Barnes Cemetery. Pallbearers were
Josh Gamel, Christopher Dickie, Paulina Rosas, Dennis Fuller, Steve
Singleton and Justin Withrow. Arrangements were by Willis Funeral
Service of Batesville. www.willisfs.com.
Vicki Patricia Long
Feb. 27, 1943 – Sept. 28, 2014
Tribal Elder Vicki Patricia Long was
born Feb. 27, 1943, to Harris and Valo-
ris Reibach and walked on on Sunday,
Sept. 28, 2014, surrounded by her large
family. She grew up in Grand Ronde
and southwest Portland.
She was the eldest of three children,
a wonderful and caring big sister to her
brothers, Jan and Michael. Vicki was
proud of her Native American, Aus-
trian and Jewish ancestry. She was a
member of the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde.
She became a mother at a young age
and spent her life raising her six daughters in a most loving home.
Somehow, she always had time to make everyone feel loved, unique
and special. She was an incredibly generous and forgiving person. Vicki
‘This is huge’
APP continued
from page 11
captions. There also is a credits
page with a lengthy list of Tribal
staff, members and Elders who
helped with the app’s development.
Light refreshments were provid-
ed and attendees had until 6 p.m.
to tour Chachalu and experiment
with the Chinuk Wawa station that
features iPads with the Tribe’s lan-
guage application loaded on them.
The current application is for
iPhones and iPads, but an Android
edition will be created in 2015,
Reibach said.
In September 2013, Tribal Coun-
cil approved the Land and Culture
Department’s $27,000 request to
develop the Chinuk Wawa lan-
guage application.
In late April, photographs and
recordings were taken at Youth Ed-
ucation. For each vocabulary word or
phrase, photos were needed. Tribal
members were recruited to help with
the photos, which included emotions,
family members and action words.
The free app was developed by Thorn-
ton Media of Las Vegas, Nev., which
is owned by Kara and Don Thornton.
“We have taken a step to preserve
something that is, since time imme-
morial, way bigger than us,” Bobby
Mercier said. “This is huge.” n
was known to keep an impeccable home and garden, always making
sure all shoes were removed before entering the house. All of the
girls’ friends thought of Vicki as their own mother. She had a knack
for quick wit and inappropriate jokes that could make anyone laugh.
Right up until the end, she had us all laughing and rejoicing in her
unbreakable spirit. Her spirituality and faith in Jesus carried her
through a colorful life of many challenges and changes. She loved her
family, gardening, storytelling, her kitties, her malamutes in Heaven,
her pet raccoons and making people laugh. Vicki could strike up a
conversation with any stranger and have an instant friend.
We will miss this amazing, strong woman who taught us all there
is know about life and living.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father; stepmother,
Carol Odom; father to her children, William Long; brother, Michael
Reibach; daughter, Pamela Fay Sheker; and beloved grandson, Sam-
uel Isaac Elkins.
She is survived by her longtime partner, BK Bullock; daughters,
Dawn Peterson (Brad), Valerie Sheker Tovey (Dave), Illauna Long
(Ronnie Johnson), Marjorie Long and Nikki Elkins (Ray); 11 grand-
children, nine great-grandchildren, and an abundance of lives touched
by this incredible lady. We love you a bushel and a peck.
A private burial next to Sam Elkins was held Friday, Oct. 3, in
Lincoln Memorial Park. A celebration of life will be announced at a
later date.
Norma Jean Billings
July 3, 1944 – Sept. 29, 2014
Tribal Elder Norma Jean Billings
of Grand Ronde walked on on Sept.
29, 2014, at the age of 70.
She was born in McMinnville,
Ore., on July 3, 1944, to Jasper and
Blanche (Ford) Lillard. Norma was a
lifetime resident of Oregon. She grad-
uated from Willamina High School
and later, on Sept. 22, 1973, she
married Alvin Billings in Willamina.
He preceded her in death in 2003. For
a time she worked at Corridor Café
in Grand Ronde as a waitress before
moving to Lincoln City, where she and Alvin managed the Wycliff
Motel. Eventually, they moved back to Willamina, where she enjoyed
her role as a homemaker/caregiver.
After her husband’s death, she moved to Grand Ronde and became
part of the community. Norma had a heart of gold and would do
anything for anyone. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Her hobbies included road trips, camping at Fort Stevens, going to
the beach, clothes shopping and, most importantly, she loved spending
time with her family.
She is survived by her children, Tammy Childs and Eddie Feack;
brothers, John Lillard and Phil Warren; sister, Vonnie Merrow; four
grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in
death by her parents, Jasper and Blanche Lillard; sisters, Donna
Casey, Shirley Flansberg and Ruthie Cooper; and brother-in-law,
David Billings. A memorial service was held at the Grand Ronde
gym on Saturday, Oct. 4. Contributions can be made to the National
Parkinson Foundation in her memory.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center cared for the family.
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