Deaths

• Oscar Whitehair
• William Bichard
• Nichelle Edaakie
• Placido Sanchez
• Evelyn Dennison
• Vivian Baca
• Leonard Arviso
• Loretta Begay

Oscar Whitehair

MANY FARMS, Ariz. — Services for Oscar R. Whitehair, 50, will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan 11 at St. Johns United Methodist Church in Many Farms. Pastor Shirley John will officiate. Burial will follow at the family plot in Many Farms.

Whitehair died Dec. 22 in Phoenix. He was born Feb. 7, 1956 in Flagstaff into the Tangle People Clan for the Mexican People Clan.

Survivors include his son Oscar R. Whitehair Jr. of Phoenix; daughters Acora Whitehair, Erica Whitehair and Ruth Whitehair, all of Phoenix.

He was preceded in death by his father Ralph Whitehair.

Pallbearers will be Dennis Begay, Bernice Tsosie, Danny Roy Begay, Jerned Begay, Curtis Yazzie and Alcindor John.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Danny Roy Begay's residence, seven and one-half mile east of the Many Farms Conoco Station, after services.

Silver Creek Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

William Bichard

GALLUP — Services for William Dean Bichard, 68, will be at 1 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 11 at the All Nation's Seventh Day Adventist Church in Gallup. Pastor Simmons will officiate. Burial will follow at Monument Valley, Utah.

Bichard died Jan. 6 in Albuquerque. He was born May 31, 1939 in Adrian Mich.

Bichard received an AA in Science and was a dental lab technician. He was employed with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. He was a missionary in Monument Valley for 22 years, then moved to Gallup where he helped build the new All Nations Seventh Day Adventist Church. He enjoyed preaching.

Survivors include his wife Norma Jane Bichard; son William Dean Bichard Jr., of Glendale, Ariz.; daughters Volinda Wright of Chandler, Ariz., Christine Sellers of Mesa, Ariz., Cheri Taylor of Mt. Home, Ariz., Michelle Nicholson of Chandler; brothers, Robert Bichard of Kernes, Utah, Edward Bichard of Brookville, Fla.; sisters Diane Marlotte of North Port, Fla., Lynette Wilson of Riverside, Calif.; 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Nichelle Edaakie

ZUNI — Memorial services for Nichelle Katherine Edaakie will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, Jan 11 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Father Lawrence J. O'Keefe will officiate. She was buried in Zuni.

Edaakie died Jan. 4 in Zuni. She was born Nov. 9, 1967 in Zuni into the Crane People Clan for the Child of the Frog People Clan.

Edaakie attended Zuni High School and graduated from Manzano High School in Albuquerque. She worked at the Rock Cafe and Third Street Tavern, was a member of the Elks Lodge, a cheerleader, volleyball and basketball player. She loved to laugh dance, cook, attend concerts and go to casinos.

Survivors include Derrick Edaakie of Zuni; sons Evan Edaaki of Gallup, Richard Edaaki in Zuni; daughters Ashley Edaakie of Albuquerque, Katherine Edaakie of Gallup, Chelsey Edaakie of Zuni; father Delfred Smith of Gallup; brothers Ritchie Simplicio of Albuquerque, Dana Smith of Gallup; sisters Kimberley Smith of Gallup, Amber Smith of Sandia, N.M. and Tawney Smith of Albuquerque, and three grandchildren.

Edaakie was preceded in death by her mother Geraldine .

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Placido Sanchez

ALBUQUERQUE — Memorial rosary for Placido L. Sanchez, 82, was recited 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9. A memorial mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today, Jan. 10 at the Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Albuquerque.

Sanchez lived in Gallup for many years and was a postmaster. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corp., as a tail gunner during World War II and survived as a POW for 18 months.

Sanchez died Jan. 4 in Albuquerque. He was born Oct. 1, 1924 in Las Vegas, N.M.

Survivors include his son, Joe; daughter, Marineta Relyea; sisters, Doie, Carmen Lou, Emily and Julietta; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren and many other relatives.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque.

Evelyn Dennison

TOHATCHI — Graveside services for Evelyn Lincoln Dennison, 66, will be at the Ganado Cemetery in Ganado.

Dennison died Jan. 8 in Gallup. She was born May 30, 1939 in Ganado into the Coyote Pass Jemez Clan for the Tangle People Clan.

Dennison went to school in Parker, Ariz. She was a silversmith, waitress, rug weaver, seamstress and a NAC member. She enjoyed traveling, sheepherding, horseback riding and working on crossword puzzles.

Survivors include her husband Leonard Dennison Jr.; sons, Harrison Boyd, Jackson Boyd, Virgil Boyd, Jared Dennison; daughters, Carole Kascali, Virginia Boyd, Lori Boyd, Lorinda Dennison, Marinda Andrew; brothers Amos Lincoln, Emery Lincoln, Harry J. Yazzie, Henry J. Yazzie, James Yazzie; sisters Susie M. Sigman, Rose Ann Baldwin, 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents Edward Lincoln and Ida Shorty; Herman J. Yazzie, Larry J. Yazzie and Everett Lincoln.

Pallbearers will be Harrison Boyd, Jackson Boyd, Virgil Boyd, Jared Dennison, Lloyd Andrew and Virgil Yellowhair.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Evelyn Dennison's residence, one- quarter mile southwest of the Burnside Junction in Burnside.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Vivian Baca

CUBERO, N.M. — A rosary will be recited for Vivian O. Baca, 84, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10 at Gabaldon Memorial Chapel. Visitation will be 6:30 to 7 p.m. prior to the rosary. A final visitation will be 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 at Our Lady of Light Catholic Church in Cubero. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Jan. 11 and interment will follow at the Cubero Cemetery.

Baca died Jan. 5 in Albuquerque.

Survivors include her children Betty Rago, Mabel Ortega, Charles Baca, Beatrice Chavez, Gina Fresquez; sisters Lupe Chavez, Marie Anderson; brother, Alfonso Otero; 26 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Estevan Baca; sons Mike and Marcos, three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one brother, Luciano Otero.

Pallbearers will be Caesar Baca, Ruben Baca, George Chavez III, Albert Fresquez Jr., Robert Yanez and Raul Yanez III.

Leonard Arviso

CROWNPOINT — Services for Leonard Damon Arviso, 75, will be today, Jan. 10 at Rehoboth Christian Reformed Church. Pastor Ted Charles will officiate. Burial will follow at the Rehoboth Mission Cemetery following services.

Arviso died Jan. 6. He was born July 1, 1931 in Fort Defiance into the Sage Brush Hill People Clan for the Sleep Rock People Clan.

Arviso served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict. He was a certified electronic technician and worked at the U.S. Air Force Weapons Laboratory Research Divison Space Physics Branch at Kirtland Air Force Base. He participated in the intial testing of the Atlas missile. He owned and operated Window Rock Sand & Gravel and the Sacred Mountain Supply Company. He was employed with the Navajo Nation as a divison director of the Department of Labor for 10 years. He was a member of the VFW Post 1313 in Bluewater and served as an elder in the Crownpoint Christian Reformed Church and the Rehoboth Red Mesa Classic Foundation. He enjoyed ranching, hunting, golfing, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren.

Survivors include wife, Marie P. Arviso of Crownpoint; sons, Darrell, Marshall and Jason Arviso, all of Crownpoint; daughter, Paula Arviso of Crownpoint; brothers, Olsen Arviso, Tommy Arviso, Sr., Arnold Norberto and Phillip Norberto; sisters, Minnie Browning and Grace Tsosie; and 11 grandchildren.

Arviso was preceded in death by father, Leo Damon Arviso and mother, Anna Norberto; stepfather, Levi Norberto; brother, Art Arviso; sisters, Lucy Carlston, Mary Rose Murphy and Sarah Bass.

Pallbearers will be Art Arviso, Jr., Tommy Arviso, Jr., Russell Bennett, Corwin Henry, William Murphy, William Craig, Loren Miller and Leonard Carlston.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Loretta Begay

IYANBITO — Services for Loretta K. Begay, 67, will be announced at a later date.

Begay died Jan. 9 in Gallup. She was born Sept. 21, 1939 in Rehoboth into the Bitter Water People Clan for the Towering House People Clan.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.