Lillian King

Wake Service: Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 7:00pm at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Lame Deer, Montana

Funeral Service: Monday, July 28, 2008 at 11:00am at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Lame Deer, Montana

Burial will follow in the Lame Deer Cemetery.

Our loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Lillian Begay King, passed away Wednesday, July 23, at the age of 95.

Lillians Din (Navajo) name was Hadesbah. She was born at home on March 12, 1913 into the Black Sheep clan of her mother, Ba-de-bah, and a child of the Towering clan of her father, To-Ha-Gleni-Biye (George Begay). She was one of eight brothers and sisters who lived south of Gallup, New Mexico between Lupton, AZ and Two Wells, NM on the Din Indian Reservation. She attended schools at Ft. Defiance, St. Michaels, and Ft. Wingate, where she graduated from high school. She studied home economics at St. Elizabeth College in New Jersey and received training to become a nurse. Her motto was I will do my best wherever I am. Later, while back home, in Gallup, NM, she met the love of her life, WWII US Air Force veteran James Daniel King, Sr. (Moket ). She would say, And then the handsomest man I had ever seen walked into that hall! They moved to Lame Deer, MT in 1947. Grandpa Jim always fondly joked that upon his arrival home he found her tucked in between some Navajo blankets! Together she and James built a home where they were blessed with three sons - James Jr., Tom, and Manny. Lillian worked during her life on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation as a nurse, and later as a dorm matron at the Tongue River Boarding School. Also, she and James managed a gas station in Lame Deer during the 1960s and Lillian kept the books.

In her 61 years spent on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, Lillian came to deeply respect and honor the Northern Cheyenne history and culture. She and James were well-read, avid historians who attracted visitors, other Plains Indian historians, and scholars and appreciators of American Indian cultures from all over the world. Lillian tanned hides, made crafts, and took great pride in creating exquisite beaded moccasins as well as a beaded cradleboard for each of her sons first child. Lillian loved passing time with and looking after her family. She and James were always loving and supportive of their sons and grandchildren. Lillian was an excellent cook and gardener and was known for her homemade dishes, breads, tamales, pies, jams and jellies. She loved travel, fast food, pets, powwows, WWF, sweepstakes, reading and crossword puzzles and was a huge fan of her sons, and later on, her grandchildrens, sporting events. She was usually heard cheering from the sidelines, especially at basketball games! She was an avid reader and dedicated many hours to reading to her grandchildren. A devout Christian and member of the White River Cheyenne Mennonite Church,

Lillian is survived by her two sisters, Helen and Myrtle; her sons, James Jr. (Ann), Tom Mexican-Cheyenne (Janis), and Manny (Brenda). She also leaves her grandchildren, Tom Jr. (Misty), Makyla Kai, James B. (Sara), Rufus, Ryan (Jessica), Jeff, Sara (Josh), Lavonne (Cameron), Lucas (Judi), Gabriel (Hannah), Michael, Zachary, Amanda, Julianna, and Arianne; fifteen great-grand children, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Lillian is preceded in death by her mother and father, her brothers Tom, Jim and Yalewood, her sisters Mary and Hasbah, her infant son, Emmett and husband, James Sr.

The family sincerely wishes to thank the staffs of the Shoulderblade Complex in Lame Deer, MT, the Big Horn County Nursing Home in Hardin, MT, the Heritage Living Center in Ashland, MT, and the Billings Health and Rehabilitation Center for all of their loving care in Lillians last few years.