Josiah Worth Small “Josey Wales”, age 32, of Lame Deer

Josiah Worth Small, known to many as Josey or Josey Wales, was born on November 24, 1991, to Melissa Whitewolf Royston and Horace ‘Bitsy’ Small, Jr.  He was named after his Grandma Mabel Small’s relative, August Spottedelk, Netséévé’hȧhtse “Water Flying Eagle” a name he carried with pride. On November 7, 2024, Josey joined his family and loved ones who had gone before him.

Josey had an unbreakable spirit—no matter what life threw at him, he never gave up. He refused to let his struggles define him or weigh him down. Each time life knocked him down, he picked himself up and kept moving forward, always with an open heart and without judgment.

Josey’s journey began with challenges, showing his fighting spirit from the start. At birth, he wasn’t breathing and began to turn blue. The medical team worked tirelessly until he took his first breath, proving he was a fighter.

His dad’s joy was clear when he said, “There’s my little stud colt.” A few weeks after coming home, Josey faced another battle when he was hospitalized for RSV and high bilirubin. With the help of UV lights and oxygen support, he overcame it, once again showing him being a fighter.

As a child, Josey’s intelligence stood out. During a parent-teacher conference in first grade, his teacher asked his mom if he read a lot at home, impressed by the “big” words he used. His mother was taken by surprise, never quite knowing how he developed such a strong vocabulary—it was simply a part of who he was.

Growing up in Muddy Cluster, Josey was surrounded by family and friends. Whether riding bikes, playing cops and robbers, making home videos, or shooting hoops, he was always in the center of the fun. He created countless memories with his cousins from the Glenn, Baker, and LittleBird (Tushka) families. With his dad, he spent his days riding horses, hunting, fishing, going to rodeos, and visiting up the road to see his cousins Johnny, Desi, Lauren, and Joaquin. He also spent time in Soldier Gulch with his cousins Clint, Kayla, Jesse, and Kaycee.

Josey was known for being an entertainer. His “Oh Heh” or “JAH” could make anyone laugh, and his spot-on impersonations, complete with mannerisms and accents, were legendary. He loved mimicking his older brother cousins, especially Jesse and Johnny, adding his own humor to every story.

Josey was also deeply kind and empathetic. When his mom needed care in Minnesota after being discharged from the hospital, he stepped up—driving, cooking, and cleaning for her the entire month. That was no small feat for him, given that as a kid, he was known for leaving a trail of clothes from the door to his room.

Josey had a special bond with his sisters, Taezha, Erlise, and Cheyloah, and shared close connections with many sister-cousins and sister-friends. When his big sister Taezha passed away in a tragic car accident a few years ago, Cheyloah and Erlise stepped up as his keepers, offering unwavering support and guiding him through the hardest times. While many of us provided support in our own ways, it was his sisters who stood by him the most after Taezha’s passing.

Josey was a big brother to Bailey Duke and Doc Wiley and a younger brother to Jordan, Tyrel, and Skylar, who looked up to him with love and respect. With Bailey, his younger brother on his mom’s side, Josey took on the role of the older sibling with a teasing edge, especially since Bailey had taken over his spot as the baby of the family. Josey also loved his older brothers, Tyrel, Jordan and Skylar, and enjoyed spending time with them.

When his older brother Tyrel passed away in a car accident, Josey was deeply saddened by his loss and thought of him often. He was devoted to keeping Tyrel’s memory alive and spoke of him as though he were still here. When Taezha passed, Josey comforted his siblings, reminding them that Tyrel had found Taezha and would find them all when it was their time to leave. He assured them that Tyrel and Taezha would greet them in the next life and be their guiding angels.

Doc and Josey spent countless hours working side by side on the ranch, taking care of the cattle and tackling tough jobs together. Doc appreciated Josey’s willingness to shoulder the workload and valued having him as someone to talk to, strengthening their bond. Josey was always there for all his brothers, creating memories of loyalty, hard work, and brotherhood. He also shared close connections with his brother-cousins and close friends, treating them like brothers.

Josey’s work life included many jobs. He trained horses, worked as a ranch hand, and held a position at the Sandia Casino in Albuquerque. One of his favorite jobs was working as a busboy at the Famous Japanese Kitchen alongside another Muddy Cluster Buster, Wilson Little Wolf.

Josey made friends wherever he went. He had a way of being serious while infusing humor into any conversation. He loved Jesus and was a man of prayer from a young age, earning the nickname “Moses” at St. Labre for his thoughtful questions and answers about the Bible.

We find comfort in knowing that his big sister Taezha and big brother Tyrel now hold him close and will never let him go. The thought of all three of them together brings us peace.

Josey was a prayerful and kind soul who always showed up for family, whether it was for gatherings or to lend a hand. From building the sweat lodge and attending prayer services to driving out in the hills or helping his dad and brother Doc with the cows, he loved being there for his family. He cherished riding horses with his siblings and brought his good heart to everything he did. We will miss him dearly, but he is with the Creator now, and he is home.

Josey is preceded in death by his beloved sister Taezha Jo Small and brother Tyrel Small Fraser; his sister cousin Lisa Basila; grandmothers Harriet Littlebird, Mabel Small, and Ernestine Whitewolf; grandfathers Horace Small Sr., Harold “Vance” Littlebird, Jimmy Littlebird, Isadore Whitewolf, and George Whitewolf; uncles Cordell Small and Gerald LaFranier; brother cousins, Cyro Littlebird, Kymani Littlebird, George Kellum, Shawn Del LaFranier, Clayton Small Jr; and many cherished family members.

He is survived by relatives from the Small, Littlebird, Whitewolf,  Woodenlegs, Spotted Elk, King, Mexican Cheyenne, Robinson, Crazymule, Foote, Flores, Two Bulls, Eagle, Gray, StarvingBear, Redwoman, Firecrow, Bixby, Norse, Bearcomesout, HiWalker, Graham, Limpy, Royston, Gonzales, Elbrock, Mejia families from New Mexico, and the Royston family from Germany.

We deeply apologize if we cannot name everyone close to Josey during this time of grief. Josey had a large extended family and many friends who loved him dearly, and he loved all of you.

A letter written to his sister Taezha when she passed, in his own words:

I love you, Taezha,
Just as you always loved us all,
In every shade of color or light we chose to be,
Or however far we were, right or wrong,
You chose to forgive and love.

For your kindness and forgiveness,
You will always be blessed
With peace, rest, and protection
From fallen angels and all bad…

Your family was far bigger and vast
Than most can begin to fathom.
I know Tyrel found you,
Just like he will find us all
In our time to leave.

Yours truly,
Josiah Small

From the 406 to 505, you’ll be missed

Service Schedule

Traditional Wake

6:00 PM

Monday November 11, 2024

During the Wake, we will hold a potluck-style dinner.

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church

Lame Deer, MT 59043

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Funeral Service

11:00 AM

Tuesday November 12, 2024

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church

Lame Deer, MT 59043

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Interment

Following Funeral Service

Tuesday November 12, 2024

Small Family Cemetery

Lame Deer, MT 59043

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Luncheon

Following the Interment

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church

Lame Deer, MT 59043

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