Week #6: Nickname

My mother’s given name is Kathleen Sixkiller Olsen. Most people did not now my mother by her given name. Mom was better known as Deedle. This name was given to her by her older sister. Pearl was two years old when Mom was born. She could not say, “Kathleen.” Some how “Deedle” was pronounced and it stuck. The only person that ever called Mom by “Kathleen” was her mother.  Once in awhile her dad would do the same.

When I was a young kid my dad would recycle copper, lead and car batteries. The money he earned would pay for school clothe
s each August. As a family we would ride around to different communities for my dad to look for batteries. We had stopped at a home on the Whiterocks highway. We heard the kids in the yard yelling, “Deedle, Deedle! Come here Deedle.” Mom kept looking around to see who was yelling at her. Come to find out, there was  young child there names ‘Deedle.’ It was a given name, not a nickname.

On another occasion, we ran into a family who’s pet dog was named “Deedle.” And since then, there is a TV production company named, “Deedle Dee Productions.”

During the 80’s when I was in junior and senior high, my parents ran a store in Whiterocks. They named it, “Deedle’s.” My mom ran the store while my dad work at Moon Lake Electric. On Saturdays and summers, I worked in the store. Later, my dad retired from Moon Lake and bought the Neola Store.

The funniest story about Mom’s nickname is how the Utes addressed her. Her Rez Cuzzins and friends always called her “Deedles.” For some reason in the Rez, our family seems to pluralize most things like “mines, minses, fishes, deers, etc.” Once in awhile, her cousins and classmates called her, “Deedle Dee.”

Mom had another unofficial nickname: “Tar Baby.” Her brother Henry (aka Hank) gave her that name because if her dark completion. Mom loved to be outdoors resulting in her tan complexion.

For Christmas, mom and her siblings would draw names. Uncle Hank drew Mom’s name. He bought Mom a Tiny Tears doll. He thought he was being funny when he bought the “black” version of the doll. The tide was turned when Mom opened the doll and it was her favorite gift.

Week #5: Obituary

 “Deedle” Sixkiller Olsen, age 66, of Neola, passed away peacefully November 25, 2016, at the University of Utah Hospital with her family at her side after a valiant battle with kidney and liver disease. She was born March 19, 1950, in Ft. Duchesne, to Ruben and Lena Denver Sixkiller. She was in the first 9th grade class at the new West Jr. High School where she served as their first student body president. When she attended Union High School, she became the first female in the state of Utah to be a member of the Future Farmers of America. She married A. Kent Olsen on February 23, 1968, in Neola. They were sealed in the Provo LDS Temple on February 23, 1974. When Kathleen was a baby, her older sister couldn’t say her name so she became Deedle, and it stuck. Deedle worked as a teacher’s aide for the Ute Tribe Headstart and then she and Kent owned and operated the Neola Store for a time. She served as president of the Red Rock Corporation and 9 years as the Minority Representative on the FSA board. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving many years as a Primary Teacher. She loved the kids in her classes and always had a birthday party for each kid at McDonalds, and a new set of crayons for every new class. She enjoyed hunting, fishing, genealogy, doing yard work, and coaching city league girls’ softball. She had a passion for shopping, especially for shoes, and would often use her excellent price comparison skills to help the grandkids get the most school clothes for their money. She purchased all of the granddaughters’ prom dresses. Appearance was paramount and her hair and nails were always perfect. She loved taking her girl trips to Wendover, where she hit the 10,000.00 jackpot a couple of times. Deedle adored her family, especially her grandchildren – they were her life. She also helped raise many foster-kids and nieces and nephews. She touched many people’s lives and will be greatly missed. She is survived by her husband, Kent; her children, Maurleen (Freddy) Plant, Vernal; Tommy Kent (Márcia) Olsen, Roosevelt; Kim (Merchie) Adams, Syracuse; grandchildren, Lance (Jennie) Olsen, Andrew Jake Plant, TJ (Brianna) Olsen, Allina (Morgan) Condie, Kamilla Olsen, EagleClaw Cuch, Christine (Scott) Chisholm, Kelsey Adams; great-grandchildren, Carter Chisholm, Jacklyn Olsen, and one on the way; brothers and sisters, Judy (Marcus) Mojado, Pala, CA; Henry Sixkiller, Ft. Duchesne; Pearl (Charles) Ewing, Bountiful; Jack (Delaine) Sixkiller; Joan (Robert) Yazzie, Marie (Vance) Gardner, Ft. Duchesne; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers; Walt Sixkiller, Ruben “Rang” Sixkiller Jr., Denver Sixkiller, and a sister Mary Sixkiller. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at the Neola LDS Chapel. There will be a viewing on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Hullinger Mortuary and from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in the Hayden Cemetery. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at the Uintah Basin Medical Center, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, McKay Dee Hospital, Intermountain Medical Center, and the University of Utah Hospital for the kind and caring service.  

 “Deedle” Sixkiller Olsen, age 66, of Neola, passed away peacefully November 25, 2016, at the University of Utah Hospital with her family at her side after a valiant battle with kidney and liver disease. 

She was born March 19, 1950, in Ft. Duchesne, to Ruben and Lena Denver Sixkiller. She was in the first 9th grade class at the new West Jr. High School where she served as their first student body president. When she attended Union High School, she became the first female in the state of Utah to be a member of the Future Farmers of America. She married A. Kent Olsen on February 23, 1968, in Neola. They were sealed in the Provo LDS Temple on February 23, 1974. When Kathleen was a baby, her older sister couldn’t say her name so she became Deedle, and it stuck. 

Deedle worked as a teacher’s aide for the Ute Tribe Headstart and then she and Kent owned and operated the Neola Store for a time. She served as president of the Red Rock Corporation and 9 years as the Minority Representative on the FSA board. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving many years as a Primary Teacher. She loved the kids in her classes and always had a birthday party for each kid at McDonalds, and a new set of crayons for every new class. She enjoyed hunting, fishing, genealogy, doing yard work, and coaching city league girls’ softball. She had a passion for shopping, especially for shoes, and would often use her excellent price comparison skills to help the grandkids get the most school clothes for their money. She purchased all of the granddaughters’ prom dresses. Appearance was paramount and her hair and nails were always perfect. She loved taking her girl trips to Wendover, where she hit the 10,000.00 jackpot a couple of times. Deedle adored her family, especially her grandchildren – they were her life. She also helped raise many foster-kids and nieces and nephews. She touched many people’s lives and will be greatly missed. 

She is survived by her husband, Kent; her children, Maurleen (Freddy) Plant, Vernal; Tommy Kent (Márcia) Olsen, Roosevelt; Kim (Merchie) Adams, Syracuse; grandchildren, Lance (Jennie) Olsen, Andrew Jake Plant, TJ (Brianna) Olsen, Allina (Morgan) Condie, Kamilla Olsen, EagleClaw Cuch, Christine (Scott) Chisholm, Kelsey Adams; great-grandchildren, Carter Chisholm, Jacklyn Olsen, and one on the way; brothers and sisters, Judy (Marcus) Mojado, Pala, CA; Henry Sixkiller, Ft. Duchesne; Pearl (Charles) Ewing, Bountiful; Jack (Delaine) Sixkiller; Joan (Robert) Yazzie, Marie (Vance) Gardner, Ft. Duchesne; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers; Walt Sixkiller, Ruben “Rang” Sixkiller Jr., Denver Sixkiller, and a sister Mary Sixkiller. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at the Neola LDS Chapel. There will be a viewing on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Hullinger Mortuary and from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in the Hayden Cemetery. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at the Uintah Basin Medical Center, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, McKay Dee Hospital, Intermountain Medical Center, and the University of Utah Hospital for the kind and caring service.

Week #4: Invite to Dinner

My mother was a very good cook.  There are many favorite recipes but her family's favorite dish was her tacos. Mom told a story about my dad picking her up for a date. Her family was eating tacos. Mom asked Dad if he would like a taco before they left. Dad had never eaten a taco. He was a farm boy and ate mostly meat and potatoes.  This was his first taco. Dad may deny this story today but that is mom's story and she is sticking to it!

Love for tacos was passed on to me, my brother and sister. It seemed on every pay day, we got tacos for dinner. It was something easy to cook while Mom was putting away groceries.  They consisted of Lynn Wilson corn shells fried in vegetable oil or crisco, hamburger, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, olives and grease...haha.  Her grand kids say they aren't worth eating if the grease from the taco shells didn't drip down your elbow.  Her enchiladas were also very delicious.

Other dishes that were family favorites were deer/elk meat, beef roasts, mashed potatoes, rolls, potato salad, macaroni salad and cooked carrots.  Mom also made very good sugar cookies, divinity and vinegar taffy.  I can remember rubbing butter on my hands so they didn't stick to the taffy as we pulled it.

Mom would also coach basketball and softball teams.  She would invite the girls to the house and we would make pizzas at the end of the season.

Mom spent many years serving in the Primary in the Neola Wards. During her last 10 or so years of serving, she would take her primary kids to McDonalds on their birthdays.  Dad would also take his scout troops or mutual kids out for a treat after scout meetings or mutual on Tuesdays.  Mom and Dad were always feeding someone.

Week #3: Longevity

My mom was born on March 19, 1950 in Ft. Duchesne, Utah.  The BIA hospital no longer exists but the building still stands. It sits on the hill west of the what is known as the circle. Her parents are Lena Denver and Ruben Sixkiller Sr.  My mom is the one of 11 children. My grandpa joked that the reason why they had so many children was because "It was back before TV."

Lena is a terminated Ute. Her mother is Mary Harris and was also enrolled with the Ute Tribe.  Lena's father is Elmer Denver Sr. Elmer was enrolled with the Shoshone Tribe in Ft. Hall, Idaho.  They had 11 children!

Lena attended boarding school in Whiterocks, Utah. The school sits where the Episcopal Church sits today.  She was then sent to Sherman Indian School in Riverside, California.  Grandma loved her experience at boarding school despite how most native kids were treated.  She made many life-long friends, played sports and learned how to cook, sew and clean.  Her brothers learned job skills that allowed them to work in construction, mostly masonry work.  During the summers, she would stay in California to work as a nanny or maid to movie stars and the "rich."

Ruben is an enrolled Cherokee from Miami, Oklahoma.  His mother is Myrtle T Miller.  His father is Glover Walter Sixkiller.  He died in 1923 leaving behind Ruben, his sister Pearl and his mother.  He spent a lot of time with his grandparents while his mother worked to support the young family.  The Millers and Sixkillers had ancestors that walked the Trail of Tears.  The Sixkillers were the first BIA Law Officers on the Cherokee Reservation in Oklahoma.

Ruben also attended boarding school in Schiloco, Oklahoma. His experience here is much like most native boys and girls.  Grandpa said he was beaten for speaking Cherokee when he was at school, then beaten at home when he spoke English by his grandpa.  He didn't attend school past 7th grade. Grandpa went to work to help support his family.  He helped put his sister Pearl through college.  His story reminds me of "The Legend Of Little Tree."

Ruben hitch-hiked to Utah during the Depression from Oklahoma.  His personal story is very much like the classic story, "The Grapes of Wrath."  Ruben's goal was to go to California looking for work. He and the other men hitch-hiking made it to Utah. They all married Ute women and raised their families here.