ENDFIELD, Raymond, Jr.

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ October 4, 2007 Raymond Endfield Jr. died during the early morning hours of Sept. 29, 2007, at his North Fork home surrounded by five of his children, his siblings and many extended family members. Mr. Endfield was born Nov. 27, 1945, the eldest of six children born to Mary Clarkson and Raymond H. Endfield. He attended schools in Whiteriver and was a graduate of Alchesay High School where he was the student body president and a talented all-around athlete. He was the third male member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe to graduate from college. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1971 with a double major in business administration and economics. Additional schooling was obtained at Haskell Indian Junior College, Arizona State Universary School of Law, University of New Mexico Law School and Harvard University. His illustrious career included banking, federal projects director at Whiteriver Unified School District, tribal liaison between the WMAT and the Fort Apache Bureau of Indian Affairs. In addition, Mr. Endfield was a consultant, successful grant writer and most recently the tribal tourism director. Mr. Endfield's greatest accomplishment was being the first tribal member to manage Sunrise Park Ski Resort which, under his directorship, received national awards for tribally operated businesses. He was a Tanner award recipient, awarded by his alma mater, University of Arizona, for top American Indian operated business administrator. He believed in helping his community and tribal people and did so serving as board chairman and/or member of many organizations: He served on the Whiteriver Unified School District Governing Board and the Valley National Bank Advisory Board. He was also an elected member for over 30 years of the Navapache Electric Co-op Board, which has graciously named a boardroom on his behalf. He also served on the White Mountain Apache Health Board, Enterprise Board, Law and Order Committee and many more. He also served as a two-term council member for the White Mountain Apache Tribe representing District IV. He served on the State of Arizona Tourism Board for several years and recently represented the Arizona Governor's Office at a Tourism Conference in London, England. Mr. Endfield is survived by his children, Michael (Rebecca), Rachel, Laurel, Julianne, Chad and Carolyn Endfield. He had seven grandchildren, Danielle, Brianna, Zachary, Caleb, Brandon, Malik and Miakoda; three step-grandsons, Jefferey, Thomas and Theodore, and one great-grandson Liam; three sisters, Norma (Wilbert) Albert, Genevieve Endfield and Marilyn (Mike) Lovato, and one brother, Charles Thomas Endfield, and his maternal aunt, Arlene Truax. He is also survived by six godchildren Margaret Cook, Zunie Alekay Jr., Joseph Riley, Brittney Endfield, Kathy Esparza and Rylan Bourke, and former spouses, Claude S. Endfield and Theresa Brooks. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Raymond Endfield Sr., and brother Erle. "My father's sense of integrity, commitment and self-deprecating humor will be missed by those who loved him." A one-night wake will be held at the family home at 6302 N. Chief Ave. on Friday, Oct. 5, with funeral services to follow at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Whiteriver Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made at any Wells Fargo Bank Branch for the Raymond Endfield Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund which will be awarded to a graduating Alchesay High School Senior interested in attending the University of Arizona.