[Dialogue] Celebrating the Life of Jess Sixkiller

[Marilyn Oyler via Dialogue]

On Sept 25th Jess Sixkiller was murdered in his home in west
Phoenix at the age of 78 by an intruder.  Police have apparently not made
progress investigating.

Jess was of the Cherokee community in Oklahoma and lived most of
his life in AZ with his wife,Tammy, and family.  His contributions within
Indian Country and beyond were immense, including with ICA.  In his early
career he was the first Native American police officer and,subsequently,
detective in the Chicago P.D.  I came to know him as the director of
Action for AZ.  Jess first came into contact with ICA through an advocate
of the Cannonball Human Development Project in N.Dakota. He gradually became a
staunch supporter of the  Pisinemo HDP in
So Arizona and, through Action, enlisted auxiliary staff there in Vista, thus
enabling the sustenance and credibility of the project.  He was a valued
colleague, advocate and adviser in AZ and nationally, for example with the
IERD.  I paid many visits to his office in the old federal building
downtown (and actually still remember its telephone #) and was fortunate to
have co-facilitated and co-trained with him, as well as making several road
trips to different tribal headquarters.

I cannot claim to know of even a fraction of his contributions
outside of ICA, but judging by the presence of several hundred people at his
burial service in the remote Blackwater district of the Gila River Community
and the testimonies I heard there, he must have touched thousands of
lives.  For myself, it occurred to me that Jess was a mentor to me more
than any other human being, from navigating Indian Country to being a slightly
less stupid white man to swinging a golf club a little better.  He once
gave me a sand wedge with the remark, "It's a Ping, but you still have to
hit the ball."   This became a guidance for me
professionally--you can have the best methods in the world, but you still have
to connect with the group.

Jess deserves to be remembered by all of us who
knew him and knew of him.

 
John OylerPartners in Participation602-468-0605 or 602-460-8843 (cell)www.partnersinparticipation.com

 		 	   		  
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