Tribal Faith Keeper Receives Award
AARP Oklahoma honors area tribal elders; eight from tribes in Ottawa County
AARP Oklahoma honors area tribal elders; eight from tribes in Ottawa County
Courtesy Photo/AARP OklahomaThe local Native Americans honored recently at the Third Annual AARP Indian Elder Honors held recently in Oklahoma City, were (l-r): Judy Cobb, Modoc; Judy C. Davis, Miami; Leaford Bearskin, Wyandotte; Barbara Kyser-Collier, Quapaw; Emmett “Bud” Ellis, Peoria; and Georgia Honey, Shawnee; were among those honored at the. Other area tribal elders honored not pictured were Dr. Charla Dawes, Ottawa; John Daugherty Jr., Eastern Shawnee; and Nadean Hilliard, Seneca Cayuga.
Posted: Friday, October 14, 2011 7:00 am
Eight elders from Indian tribes headquartered in Ottawa County were among 50 honorees recognized at the third annual AARP Oklahoma Indian Elder Honors recently held in Oklahoma City.
The event, which was held at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, included elders representing 37-federally recognized Oklahoma tribes and nations. Among honorees were linguists, artists, ministers, educators, veterans, tribal and community leaders and the first American Indian to receive a degree in Physics from the University of Oklahoma.
AARP National Board Member John Penn was on hand to deliver the keynote address and help present medallions along with AARP Executive Vice President Hop Backus, Regional Vice President Nancy Stockbridge, State Director Sean Voskuhl and State President Marjorie Lyons.
Penn, whose great-great grandmother was on the Trail of Tears, praised the honorees and noted AARP’s commitment to work with diverse populations. He also reminded the audience of AARP Founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus’ commitment to serving all older Americans.
Backus announced the launch of the AARP Oklahoma Indian Elder Navigator – a single point of entry website for Indian elder services that can be accessed at: .
“We hope that this new website will be a place where an Indian elder from any Oklahoma Indian tribe can go to find the service or resource that best fits their need. We envision it as a “living room” of information for tribal elders,” Backus said noting AARP will be working directly with tribal leaders and program directors on the project.
“It was a beautiful night to salute these Oklahoma Indian Elders,” said AARP State President Marjorie Lyons. “AARP Oklahoma has pledged to continue working with Oklahoma Indians to understand their unique needs and find ways that the association can help them age with dignity.”
Local honorees were:
Judy Cobb – Modoc – was born in Joplin, Mo. and raised in the Miami area. She attended school in Miami and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in business from Missouri Southern University. Since graduation, Cobb has been the owner and manager of several businesses, from distribution to retail to commercial property.
She has served on both chamber of commerce and college foundation boards. Her longest tenure at one position, and perhaps her most important, is her service to her tribe. Cobb has served as Second Chief of the Modocs since 1984.
She was and continues to be one of the few women tribal leaders in the nation and has dedicated her time and efforts for the betterment of her people. She serves in a government role and also as a leader in the economic development of the tribe. She was also instrumental in the development of the tribe’s housing authority and has served as chair since its inception in 1998.
Cobb’s leadership and business experience has been instrumental in the success of the tribe.
Barbara Kyser-Collier – Quapaw – descendant of the Beaver Clan, her career in Native American business began at the Seneca Indian School in 1968.
She started working for the Quapaw Tribe in 1974, working her way up as secretary/bookkeeper, comptroller, and, eventually, tribal administrator.
She has been involved with gaming and has served as secretary of the National Tribal Gaming Commissioners/Regulators and was the charter chair for the Oklahoma Tribal Gaming Regulators Association.
Working with Lloyd Buffalo and Walter King, she developed ideas for the Quapaw tribal flag and drew the original design of the flag on cardboard.
Judy C. Davis – Miami – a direct descendant of tribal leader Peter Coonsoonjah Laferriere, Davis served 20 years on the Miami Nation Business Committee and is the only person to have served as chief, second chief, secretary/treasurer and councilwoman.
During her tenure on the business committee, Davis, a high school business teacher for 24 years, emphasized the education of tribal members.
She continues to serve her nation as chair of the Education Committee, a position she has held for the past 10 years.
Davis is a volunteer at Integris Baptist Regional Hospital in Miami, teaches Sunday School at Mt. Zion Baptist Church and is the longest-serving church clerk in the Northeast Baptist Association, having served more than 40 years.
John Daughtery Jr. – Eastern Shawnee – active in his tribal culture, he is singer for Shawnee Ceremonies in White Oak and is responsible for the drum. He retired from the Indian Health Service in 2008 after 33 years of federal service including time spent as director of the Miami Indian Health Center and CEO of the Claremore Indian Hospital.
At the time of his retirement, he was area director for the Oklahoma Area, which includes Oklahoma, Kansas and part of Texas. This is the largest area in the Indian Health System, providing health care to over 300,000 Native Americans.
He presently works part time as a Health Management Consultant for the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, where he is helping prepare for compacting the Pawhuska Health Center later this year.
Emmett “Bud” Ellis – Peoria – began serving the Peoria tribe at an early age when he attended meetings of the Peoria Council with his mother. He served on the Peoria Tribal Business Committee for two terms and currently serves as chairman of the Peoria Gaming Commission, and is a member of the Election Committee.
Ellis has served on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Committee since its inception in 1997, serving as chairman between 2000 and 2009.
He has traveled to locations in Illinois, Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri to claim the remains of Peorias for reburial at the Peoria Tribal Cemetery. He assisted in the repatriation of Peoria artifacts totaling 40,000 items.
As representative of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, he attended the opening of Dickson Mounds, events at Cahokia Mounds, and the first Pow-wow in Peoria, Illinois.
Throughout the years he has served his community as a member of the Juvenile Judges Advisory Committee in Tulsa and as a member of the Elks Lodge.
Dr. Charla Dawes – Ottawa – respected tribal leader and currently serving as a councilwoman on the Ottawa Business Committee. Dawes has a long family history of service to the Ottawa people and is daughter of long-time Chief Charley Dawes.
Georgie Honey – Shawnee – has been involved in Shawnee Tribe government for more than two decades. She was first elected in 1986 as the treasurer of the tribe and has maintained that position for 25 years.
Honey grew up in White Oak about a mile from the Shawnee Ceremonial Grounds. She attended White Oak schools and worked for Southwestern Bell 10 years after graduating from high school.
Honey has always been active in civic activities and contributes her time to many worthy causes.
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Nadean Hilliard – Seneca Cayuga – born near Wyandotte, she attended Seneca Indian School, where she later taught elementary and retired in 1979.
She attended Chilocco Indian School, graduated from Grove High School and eventually earned a master’s degree from Northeastern State Teachers College.
She is a Faith Keeper for the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe and this carries a tremendous responsibility.She fulfills her position and also takes time to love and be loved by her extensive family.
Although she has no biological children of her own, she has mothered and watched over a score of nephews and nieces and helped them through life.
She has helped many children with their educational endeavors through loving support as well as financially. She is affectionately called “Aunt Dean” and is respected and loved by everyone who knows her.