July, 2014
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July Tribal Council Meeting Held in Lawrence, Kansas
On July 7, 2014, the Tribal Council meeting was held in Lawrence, KS for the first time in over 147 years. The Tribal Council met at the tribal property in North Lawrence to conduct the monthly meeting. Our Lawrence property is in the seat of the newly reclaimed jurisdiction area of the Delaware Tribe’s former reservation in Kansas. Our ancestors had to leave there in 1867 and move to the Cherokee Nation Indian Territory where the tribe has lived since. The Tribal Council concurred that it is important to establish this land base for tribal jurisdiction and thereby conducted an official meeting at this location. In January we began having quarterly Tribal Council meetings in Caney, KS and this month they met in Lawrence. Maintaining an official presence in Kansas demonstrates our resolve to expand governmental services there.
In November 2010 Chief Pechonick re-established the monthly meetings in Bartlesville soon after taking office. Prior to that, the previous administration conducted the Tribal Council meetings in several different towns in Oklahoma. Following the announcement of an expansion into Kansas, the quarterly meetings in Kansas are now a regular occurrence. Approximately 20 Tribal members and visitors in the Lawrence area attended the July 7th meeting and their enthusiasm was encouraging to the Tribal Council’s expansion efforts.
Tribal Council members with Brian and Kathy Pine, former owners of the Lawrence property.
R.I.P. Rosetta Coffey
It is with heavy hearts that we report that the Delaware Tribe has lost one of our most revered elders. Rosetta Coffey passed away on July 20. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers in their time of sorrow.
Rosetta Pearl Coffey
January 2, 1925–July 20, 2014
Rosetta Jackson-Coffey of Dewey, OK passed away July 20, 2014 at Forest Manor Nursing home of Dewey, OK. Rosetta was a full blooded Delaware Tribal member born in Dewey, OK on January 2, 1925 to James and Emma Jackson.
Wake services will be held in Bartlesville, OK at the Delaware Tribal Community Center on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 6:00pm. Funeral services will be held at Deyo Mission Baptist Church in Cache, OK on Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 1:00pm. Burial to follow at Deyo Mission Cemetery.
Rosetta is proceeded in death by her husband, Cheevers of 69 years, November 17, 2012. One son, Marvin “Rusty” Coffey and her only daughter Paulette Louise Tallchief-Morrow. Two brothers, John and Marion “Cowboy” Jackson and two sisters Evelyn Thomas and Elgia Bryan and one Granddaughter Jonita Coffey.
Rosetta is survived by sons, Jesse Coffey, Cache, OK; James Coffey of the home, Charley Eckroat, Oklahoma City, Two sisters, Bette Notah, Lawrence, KS; Jean Kirkendall, Claremore, OK. One brother, James Jackson of Catoosa, OK. Grandchildren Susan Hartman, Robin Coffey-Hopkins, Rusty Coffey, Carrie Coffey, Angie Thurman-Goodfox, Janet Coffey-Work, Kristie Coffey, Marty Thurman, Jesse Jr. Coffey, Jake Coffey, 17 Great Grandchildren and 1 Great Great Grandson “William”.
Rosetta started her family and lived in Faxon, OK, then made a few moves to Lawton, OK, Tulsa, OK, and then to Lawrence, KS where she then began working with Haskell Indian Junior College as a Supervisor of Residential Housing in the Women’s dorm. After working for many years she retired in 1989 and returned back to her hometown, Dewey, OK. Throughout those years she traveled, cared for family, and attended many pow-wow’s with her husband. While running for office for the Delaware Tribe of Oklahoma she was elected and served as a Trust Board Council Member for two terms. Also, Rosetta was the founder of the Delaware War Mother’s Organization in Dewey, OK which is still actively going strong to this day.
“Lenape on the Wapahani” Wins Film Award
Our friend Chris Flook from the Ball State University Telecommunications Department reports that the “Lenape on the Wapahani River” documentary recently won a Platinum – Best of Show for Historical Documentaries at the Aurora Awards. Auroras are awards given to video and film productions that don’t usually have traditional theatrical releases.
The documentary has now one four international awards:
- An Accolade Award of Merit for Titles and Graphics
- An Accolade Award of Merit for Cinematography
- An Accolade Award of Excellence – Best Documentary
- An Aurora Platinum Best of Show – Historical Documentary
The documentary, prepared by Communications Department students, through filmed re-enactments and interviews, chronicles the forced migration of the Delaware Tribe from their original home in the region now known as southern New York, New Jersey and Delaware through: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas and present-day Oklahoma.
The documentary may be viewed at www.lenapeonthewapahani.org.
July 2014 Delaware Indian News Now Available!
The July 2014 issue of the Delaware Indian News is now online. Tribal members should receive their copy in the mail by July 1.
To view the newspaper in PDF format, please click here.
Order a Memorial Brick!
The Elders Committee voted to honor members of the Elders Committee who pass in 2014 and the future by placing a brick in their honor in the Memorial Garden in Bartlesville. The first two bricks the Elders Committee will provide will be for William W. Baughman, grandson of Katy Whiteturkey Day, and our Cherokee brother, Robert R. “Bob” Ladd, who passed away earlier this year.
But this is not all! The Memorial Garden needs lots of bricks! We invite families to purchase a brick for their loved ones who have gone before.
The bricks will be 12 x 12 inches in size, pewter in color. Each brick can have up to 8 lines with up to 20 characters, punctuation, and spaces for each line. The cost is $50.00 per brick.
To order a Memorial Brick, send us a description of what you want on your brick and a check payable to Delaware Elders Committee:
Delaware Tribe of Indians
Attn: Elders Committee
170 N. Barbara
Bartlesville, OK 74006
Need more information? Email: elders@delawaretribe.org or Call: Mary Randall 918-336-0584
Tribal Elders “Return to Kansas,” At Least for a Day!
First daylight on Tuesday, June 17 saw ten Elders board a van for their “RETURN to KANSAS” trip. This trip was funded by the Elders Committee.
Our first stop was a luncheon at Free State Brewing Company in Lawrence, KS. Here our group grew to fifteen with the addition of Tribal Historic Preservation Director Brice Obermeyer; Josh FallLeaf; and Carolyn and Steve Rowe and Jim Grinter of the Kansas Delawares.
Carolyn presented each of us a gift of tobacco. This is a traditional gift of welcome and friendship.
Brice and Josh were our tour guides, and our Kansas Delaware cousins were able to show us where their ancestors lived and were buried.
Our first stop was our tribal land on the edge of Lawrence. This 99-acre tract is currently used as a sod farm, and has 32 acres on the west side with a large 4BR/4B/2-car garage home with the remaining 60- plus acres across the road to the east being used as the sod farm. We checked out the house and all agreed we could call that home!
Next Josh FallLeaf took us to the Haskell College Campus. Our own Bonnie Thaxton attended Haskell, graduating in 1939. Josh is on the faculty there, having recently moved to Administration. Wynona and Pocahontas are still dorms and the large arched entry to the stadium is still standing. A faculty history professor happened by and Bonnie was able to ask him questions (or maybe taught him a few things!).
Next stop was the Delaware Cemetery along KS Hwy 32. Here Carolyn Rowe’s ancestors are buried. Carolyn and Steve told us a bit of their history.
On to the Sarcoxie Cemetery located at Linwood, KS. Although it is called the Sarcoxie Cemetery, we did not find any Sarcoxie markers.
Grinter Place was our next stop. This was Jim Grinter’s great-great-grandparents’ home, but is also on the Kansas State Historical Registry and the National Register of Historic Places. The house has been restored by the Kansas Historical Society and Brice made it possible for us to get a brief tour of the house. A little further was Grinter Chapel and Cemetery. Jim has relatives buried there.
Our last stop was White Church and Cemetery. To the surprise of Pat Donnell, here we found Delaware Nation graves of Rev. Jacob Ketchum, Rev. Charles Ketchum, William S. Ketchum and Captain Ketchum (chief of the Delaware for 28 years). At the foot of Captain Ketchum was a recent stone for Sharon J. Nolte (fifth generation grand-daughter of Captain Ketchum). Brice had visited with Sharon as she was a history buff. There were also markers for Lucinda M. Ketchum and Hatty Ann Ketchum.
We all were headed our separate directions now but before we headed out, Carolyn brought us two large baskets of home- made cookies and orange slices, individually packaged. One basket sugar free, one regular cookies complete with napkins. Oh so good! A gasoline stop and a sandwich at Love’s in Ottawa, KS and we were headed south. We arrived at the Delaware Center about 10:15 pm, tired but believing everyone thoroughly enjoyed our “RETURN to KANSAS” trip.
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Thank You!, by Judy Dull
By Judy Dull, Retiring Nutrition Supervisor
Judy Dull (right) and Arleena Whittenburg
As I depart from the Delaware Elder Nutrition Center, I would like to say to the tribal members how much I have enjoyed working and serving you. I have worked at the Delaware Elder Nutrition Program for five years. My official retirement date was May 23, 2014. However, I assured the administration that I would not leave my position until they had a replacement.
The nutrition program has grown in leaps and bounds, which can be attributed to the Delaware Tribe having received an Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) and two consecutive Title VI grants to help with the expansion of the kitchen and dining room that has attributed to the growth of the congregate doubling during these years. But I also like to think that the nutri- tion department staff has had a hand in attracting more elders by providing good nutritious meals and great customer service. This past year we added a hearty salad bar that can be a meal in itself or selected features that vary from day-to-day, such as mixed salad, three-bean salad, pickles, olives, cheese, watermelon or other fruit, cottage cheese, pudding, and the normal salad ingredients.
During my time with the Delaware Tribe I have seen a lot of changes and much progress since Chief Pechonick came into office. There have been several departments opened to assist all tribal members. All of these departments have created more jobs for Delaware people. The Tribe has its own housing, EPA, nutrition, child support services, cultural resources and education, historic preservation, Lenape language revitalization, and a museum. The current administration is always looking for ways to improve the welfare of the Delaware people.
Never lose sight of what Chief Pechonick has brought to you. She works many hours and is always willing to go the extra mile for her tribe. Keep this in mind when it comes election time in November. Chief Pechonick should be re-elected to continue serving her people and to keep the progress rolling.
D5 Creation