Deaths

• John Yazzie
• Robert Valdez, Jr.
• Melton Dawes
• Francis Tsosie
• Victoria Salas
• Tuchie Baca

John Yazzie

FORT DEFIANCE — Funeral services for John O. Yazzie, 72, will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 10 at the Community Bible Church in Tse Bonito. Rev. James Joe will officiate. Burial will follow at the Fort Defiance Veteran Cemetary.

Visitation will be from 4 to 5 p.m., Monday, April 9 at Tse Bonito Mortuary.

Yazzie died April 3 in Flagstaff. He was born July 15, 1934 in Klagetoh into the Black Streak Wood People Clan for the Towering House People Clan.

Yazzie attended Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City, Weber Junior College in Ogden, and was a certified Journyman Carpenter. He was a U.S. Army Korean War Veteran and was employed by N.H.A, Navajo Nation, I.H.S, B.I.A, O.N.E.O, and various construction companies in Phoenix and Ogden. He also owned JDY Construction. His hobbies included horseshoe pitching, fast pitch softball/baseball, basketball, bowling, hunting, fishing, wood working, and hauling firewood with son and grandsons.

Yazzie is survived by his wife Emma Yazzie; sons Dan Yazzie, Ricky Yazzie, Johnny Yazzie, Donathan Yazzie, and Jonathan Yazzie; brother Harold Yazzie; sisters Lillie Thomas, Lorrina Lynch, Nancy Chee, and Fannie Jarmillo; 18 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Yazzie was preceded in death by his son Ronald Yazzie; parents Dugal Chee and Alice Yazzie; brothers Tom Yazzie and William Yazzie; and sister Margret Yazzie.

The family will receive relatives and friends at the Community Bible Church in Tse Bonito.

Tse Bonito is in charge of arrangements.

Robert Valdez, Jr.

SAN RAFAEL — Services for Robert "Gino" Valdez, Jr., 45, will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 10 at San Rafael Catholic Church. Father Jeff King will officiate. Burial will follow at La Morada in San Rafael.

A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., Monday, April 9 at San Rafael Catholic Church.

Valdez died April 2 in Espanola, N.M. He was born Sept. 14, 1961 in Grants.

Survivors include his mother Elouisa Apodaca Valdez of San Rafael; children Lindsey Valdez, Adrian Valdez, P.J. Valdez, all of Alabama; brothers Nestor Valdez of Farmington, Richard Valdez, Benny Torrez, both of San Rafael.

He was preceded in death by his father Robert Valdez, Sr.; sisters Lorraine Valdez, Roberta Valdez; brother Philip Valdez; grandparents martina Chavez-Apodaca, Nestor Apodaca, Juana Maria Gonzales and Elfego Valdez.

Pallbearers will be Joseph Valdez, Rico Torrez, Johnny Valdez, Paul Valdez, Peter Valdez and Jeff Valez.

Compassion Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Melton Dawes

GALLUP — Funeral services for Melton Dawes, 65, will be at 10 a.m., Monday, April 9 at the Bethany Christian Reformed Church. Milt Shirleson will officiate. Burial will follow at Rehoboth Mission Cemetery.

Dawes died April 5, in Gallup. He was born February 19, 1942 in Rehoboth into the Edge Water Clan for the Start of the Red Streak People Clan.

Dawes graduated from Gallup High School. He was an artist who liked to draw.

Survivors included his sisters Esther Sandoval of Tohatchi and Dorothy Martin of Gallup.

Dawes was preceded in death by his parents Teddy Dawes and Katie Dawes.

Pallbearers will be Peter Becenti Jr., Mathew Martin, Jason Plummer, Doug Quicero, Galen Sandoval, and Martin Sandoval.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Francis Tsosie

CORNFIELDS, Ariz. — Services for Francis Tsosie, 75, will be at 10 a.m., today, April 7 at the Presbyterian Church in Ganado. Father Flynn will officiate. Burial will follow at Cornfields Community Cemetery.

Tsosie died April 2 in Cornfields. He was born Oct. 1, 1931 in Cornfields into the One Who Walks Around People Clan for the Honey Combed Rock People Clan.

Tsosie went to Albuquerque Indian School and joined the Marines and served in the Korean War. He was a member of the American Legion Color Guard, Cornfields Veterans, Fort Defiance Health Board. He was employed with the Cornfields Foster Parent Program, Hubbell National Park, College of Ganado Maintenance and was a carpenter. His hobbies included hiking, reading, leather tanning, attending song and dances, crossword puzzles and spending time with his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife Nellie M. Tsosie of Cornfields; sons Albert Tsosie of Ganado, Gilbert Tsosie of Cornfields, Robert Tsosie Sr., of Burnside, Ariz.; daughters Gloria Finney of Cornfields, Sharon Tsosie of Mesa, 11 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents Asdzaan Nez Tsosie, Judge John Tsosie; sisters Marie Y. Friday, Mary Yazzie and one brother David Tsosie.

Pallbearers will be Merwin Sam, Ryan Friday, Robert Tsosie Jr., Arnold Friday, Russell Kinlichee and Wilbur Smith.

The family will receive relatives and friends at the Cornfields Chapter House after services.

Tso Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Victoria Salas

GALLUP — Funeral services for Victoria E. Salas, 82, will be announced at a later date.

Salas died Thursday, April 5 in Gallup. She was born December 29, 1924 in Flagstaff.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Tuchie Baca

GALLUP — Services for Tuchie Manuel Baca, 58, will be announced at a later date. Baca died April 5 in Gallup and was born July 5, 1948.

There will be a rosary at 7 p.m., Monday, April 9 at Rollie Mortuary.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.