Merton Moore

Merton Russell Moore, longtime resident of Pawnee, passed Friday morning, June 4, 2010 at the Fairfax Hospital. He was 82. Merton was a full blood Pawnee and member of the Pitahauret Band.

Merton was born March 28, 1928 in Pawnee, the son of Edgar Wichita Moore and Geneva Horse Chief Sun Eagle. He graduated from the Haskell Indian Institute in Lawrence, Kansas where he excelled in football, track and basketball. He was voted the Campus Brave while attending Haskell. He honorably served his country in the Army as a Staff Sergeant, serving a tour of duty in Korea. He was married to Genevieve Cox on June 28, 1972 in Pawnee.

Merton was employed throughout his years as a cement mason and in later years worked for the BIA Realty Office with Soil Conservation, retiring in 1990. He was a former Pawnee Tribal Business Council member and former Nasharo Council Chief. He also had served on the Pawnee Tribal Repatriation Committee. He was a member of the St. Johns Catholic Church of Pawnee, the Pawnee Indian Veterans and
American Legion Post 198. His enjoyments included following his grandchildrens sporting events, Pawnee sporting events as well as OU and OSU sporting events. He also enjoyed attending tribal events and the Indian dances where he had been a past participant.

He is survived by his wife, Genevieve, of the home one stepson, David Palmer of Fairfax one brother, Lester Sun Eagle of Pawnee and one sister, Jeanette Deroin of Yale, Oklahoma three grandchildren, Dustin Palmer, Duane Palmer and Shelby Exum seven great grandchildren, Sierra Palmer, Ashton Palmer, Thunder Palmer, Wazhozha Palmer, Terrien Exum, Kiana Vicenti and Brittany Vicenti. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents three brothers, James A. Sun Eagle, Marvin Sun Eagle and Alfred Horse Chief two sisters, Verona Charles and Daphne Deroin.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 7, 2010 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fairfax with Father Matthew La Chance of the St. Johns Catholic Church of Pawnee presiding. Burial will be in the Veterans section of the Highland Cemetery in Pawnee. Arrangements are under the direction of the HunsakerWooten Funeral Home in Fairfax.

Casket bearers are L. Russell Sun Eagle, Darren Sun Eagle, James M. Sun Eagle, John L. Horse Chief, Dustin J. Palmer and Duane J. Palmer. Honorary casket bearers are Robert L. Chapman, Lloyd Chapman, Francis Morris, L. Henry Sun Eagle and Nathaniel Horse Chief.