Otoe-Missouria News Archive

Fern Thompson Alexander, former resident of Ponca City and current resident of Tahlequah, died Monday, October 24, 2005, at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa. She was 82.

The traditional funeral feast will be held Friday, October 28, at noon at the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Cultural Center. Burial will be at Otoe-Missouria Tribal Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Fern was born June 6, 1923, in Red Rock, on her mother’s allotment on the Otoe Reservation, the daughter of Mary Arkeketa and Charles B. Thompson. She grew up in Ponca City and was a 1941 graduate of Ponca City High School and was the first wrestling queen at Po-Hi. Fern remained in Ponca City until 1962 at which time she was working with the Kennedy Administration and moved to Washington, D.C. In 1968, Fern won the National Outstanding American Indian Award and was the first woman to earn such an honor. She was present at the Pioneer Woman rededication and appeared there with Will Rogers Jr. She later moved to Portland, Ore., where she lived for 29 years prior to returning to Tahlequah in 2002.

She was a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and the Buffalo clan. At one time she served as Otoe princess. She began her career with BIA in 1963 in the Muskogee area office. She has been a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Council and has held the office of secretary for the National Congress of American Indians. At one time, she also served as secretary of the five inter-tribal council of northern Oklahoma.

She won the annual Federal Volunteer Award on February 9, 1973, in Washington, D.C. She was chosen from some 800 federal employee candidates, representing some 44 federal agencies. She is the only award winner from the Department of Interior and from the northwest area.

She is survived by two sons for whom her heart was full of love, Bruce Fisher and his wife Sharon of Tahlequah and Dana John Fisher of the home, who cared for his mother with devoted love. She also leaves behind her most beloved and cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren who brought much joy and happiness to her life and include grandsons, Robert Bruce Fisher and Ryan Neal Fisher, granddaughter Kari K. Stanley and her husband David; and five great-grandchildren, Josh, Jake and Jase Fisher and Dillon and Daniel Stanley all of Tahlequah. She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Louise DeHaas; and two brothers, Keith Thompson and Bruce Thompson.

Casket bearers will be her grandchildren.

» Originally published in the Ponca City News.

Jennifer Annette Moses receives her sash Thursday evening signifying her selection as the new 2005-2006 Otoe-Missouria Tribal Princess. Outgoing tribal princess Jessica Moore assists. Moses is the daughter of Pautricia Alley and Berwyn Moses and is of Otoe, Iowa, Northern Cheyenne, Osage and Pawnee tribal descent. A sophomore at Tulsa’s East Central High School, she is president of the Native American Club and is an accomplished artist. Recently she won first place in mixed media at the Levitt Art Show of Tulsa Public Schools and first place at the Red Earth Youth Art Show. Moses is also active in the International Order of Rainbow Girls. She has been give two Indian names: Thi-gre-pimi, “Pretty Tracks” in Iowa, by great-grandmother Anna Kihega; and Osage name Eagle Woman by Mary Green. Moses will serve the coming year as a goodwill ambassador for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe. [photo]

» Originally published in the Ponca City News.

Jessica Rosemary Moore was presented as the new 2004-2005 Otoe-Missouria Tribal Princess during Thursday evening ceremonies at the 123rd Annual Otoe-Missouria Tribal Encampment. Jessica is the 19-year-old daughter of Ted Jr. and Terry Mason Moore and is of Otoe, Sac and Fox, Pawnee, and Osage tribal descent. Her father serves as a member of the Otoe Tribal Council and her mother serves as a member of the Osage Tribal Council. Jessica is of the Owl Clan in the Otoe-Missouria Tribe.

Jessica is a student at Oklahoma State University majoring in Architecture, participates in OSU intramural sports, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and the Native American Student Association, and is a member of the Native American sorority Alpha Pi Omega. Jessica will be a participant in the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration in Omaha on July 31 as a member of the Otoe youth panel on Education. She is a member of the A-wah-hun-da-ha chapter of the Native American Church, the chapter founded by her late great-grandfather, Sydney Moore Sr., and then carried on by her late grandfather Ted Brave Scout Sr., and now by her father.

The 123rd Annual Otoe-Missouria Encampment and powwow activities continue through Sunday evening at the tribal powwow grounds situated just south of the Seven Clans Paradise Casino located 15 miles south of Ponca City on Highway 177.

» Originally published in the Ponca City News.

The 122nd Otoe-Missouria Tribal encampment will be held July 17-20 on the Otoe-Missouria tribal campgrounds east of Red Rock on U.S. 177.

Head staff includes Tony Arkeketa, emcee; Oliver Littlecook; Kyle Robedeaux, head singer; Jimmy Atkins, head gourd dancer; Oliver Plumley, head man dancer; Carolee Bible, head lady dancer; Jess Robedeaux, A.D.; Ashlee Jacobsen, 2002-03 outgoing princess; Andrea Kihega, 2003-04 incoming princess. Red Rock Creek will be co-hosting along with the Central Oklahoma Tribal society and the Ponca Gourd Dance Society. Special invited guests are the Kiowa Gourd clan and the Kiowa Tai-Pah Society.

There will be contests in all categories, and contestants must be in two parade-ins to receive prize money, and must be dressed in full regalia. There will be a “49″ contest Saturday night, and a junior girls jingle 13-17; Earl Plumley Men’s traditional winner take all; Percy Hudson Memorial Men’s Straight contest; Remonia Jacobsen Memorial Otoe Regalia contest Saturday night.

Handmade raffle items, Saturday morning Olympics for all ages, turtle races, 50/50, soldier dance will be available. RV hookups and showers are in place. Alcohol, drugs and firearms are prohibited.

» Originally published in the Ponca City News.