Walter Begay, Navajo Code Talker

Walter H. Begay, Sr

Birth: Mar. 2, 1913 Death: Mar. 21, 2005

WHEATFIELDS — Funeral mass for Walter H. Begay, Sr., 92, will be at 10 a.m, Thursday, March 24 at St. Michaels Mission. Father Gilbert Schneider, O.F.M will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Michaels cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. prior to services. A rosary will be recited this evening, March 23 at Cope Memorial Chapel at 5 p.m.

Begay, Sr. died March 21 in Winslow. He was born March 2, 1913 in Wheatfields into the Red Bottom People Clan for the Bitter Water People Clan.

Begay, Sr. retired from the BIA after 40 years of service. He served in the Marine Corps and trained as a Navajo Code Talker receiving the National Congressional Silver Medal of Honor.

Survivors include his sons, Wesley L. Begay of Tsaile, Paul C. Begay, William Begay both of Fort Defiance, Walter Begay, Jr. of Kayenta; daughters, Francis Mary Legah of St. Michaels, Genevieve Yazza of Wheatfields, Helena Begay of Farmington, Helen Leslie of Tucson; brothers, Kenneth White of White Cone, Kee White of Wheatfields; sisters, Mary Francis, Rita Bahe, Pearl White all of Wheatfields; 28 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Begay, Sr. was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Mary Begay; son, Jimmie J. Begay; father, White Mule; mother, Rose White; brothers, Edmund White and Allen "Chuck" White.

Pallbearers will be Michael Legah, Norman Leslie, Adrian Begay, Ivan Cayedito, Loren Begay and Kyle Begay.

Cope Memorial is in charge of arrangements.

Burial: Saint Michaels Cemetery Saint Michaels Apache County Arizona, USA

Created by: Spyrose Record added: Jan 05, 2006 Find A Grave Memorial# 12889797

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Begay&GSfn=Wa...