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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma January 7, 2007 May 15, 1925 ~ January 5, 2007 Funeral for HENRY "HANK" PRATT TOMAHSAH, 81, of Lawton, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Comanche Community Center, Apache, with Elton Yellowfish officiating. Mr. Tomahsah died Friday, January 5, 2007, in Oklahoma City. An evening prayer service will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Comanche Nation Funeral Home Chapel. An all-night wake begins at 6 p.m. Monday at the residence of Gary Tomahsah in Apache. Burial will be in the Cache Creek KCA Cemetery east of Apache under direction of Comanche Nation Funeral Home. He was born on May 15, 1925, in a teepee near Chandler Creek, the son of Charles Pratt and Lucy Emma Querdibitty Tomahsah. He attended Fort Sill Indian School and upon his completion of school he was drafted into the Army at the age of 18. He fought in World War II during the D-Day campaign in the battle of Schumpert, France. He was a private first class, having served with the 4th Infantry Division. Upon his honorable discharge in 1944, he was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the Purple Heart, American Defense Campaign Medal, European Operation Medal with four Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Achievement Medal, the European Victory Medal, Combat Infantry Badge and Sniper Infantry Badge. Upon his return home, he went to school at Cameron University and studied engineering. Henry married Laquita Foraker in April 1967 in Wichita Falls, Texas. They made their home in Apache. He worked at Fort Sill as a plumber before retiring in 1971. In the summers of 1971 and 1972, he traveled to the Catskill Mountains in New York to display tribal dancing and culture at a resort known as Carson City. He was the first chairman of Community Action for Apache, served on the board of the Washita Valley Community Action Council, and was one of the first board members for the Indian Alcoholism Program in Anadarko. He was the first Johnson O'Malley chairman for the Apache Public Schools and was a board member of the Oklahoma Indian Education Association, and of three Indian boarding schools as well. In 1989, he was awarded the Jefferson Honors Award from KOCO-TV "Five Alive Who Care" program. He was a champion straight dancer, singer, song composer and served as master of ceremonies for many powwows across Indian country. He was a member of the Native American Church and a member of the Comanche Nation, CIVA and Little Ponies. Survivors include his wife, Laquita of the home; three daughters, Karen Tomahsah, Faxon, Janetta Gooday, Cyril, and Bonnie Tomahsah-Monoessy, Lawton; four sons, Keener Tomahsah, Faxon, John Eli Tomahsah, Kansas, Micky Weryackwe and Gary Tomahsah, both of Apache; his brother, John Allen Pratt; 16 grand-children; 10 greatgrandchildren; and numerous relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; seven sisters, Ruby Wahnee, Lily Tieyah, Mintie Stevenson, Blossom Starr, Josephine Pratt, Pasquerita Ruiz and Annabelle Chaat; and two brothers, Galves Pratt and Willis Attocknie; and a son, Charles Ray Tomahsah. |
Lawton, Oklahoma October 2016 January 4, 1939 ~ October 15, 2016 APACHE Laquita Ramona Tomahsah, 77, Apache, passed away Saturday, Oct.15, 2016, in Lawton. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, October 19, 2016, at Mahsetky Mission also known as the United Methodist Church of Apache with Gary Tomahsah officiating. Burial will follow at Cache Creek KCA Cemetery, west of Apache, under direction of Comanche Nation Funeral Home. Prayer service will be at 7 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Laquita Ramona Foraker Tomahsah was born January 4, 1939, at Kiowa Indian Hospital in Lawton, to Charles and Amanda Cooper Foraker. Laquita was a member of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Tribes of Oklahoma. The youngest of four girls, she lived the earlier years of her life in Sulphur. Laquita attended Carter Seminary Boarding School in Ardmore, and Sulphur Elementary with her siblings. She then attended Haskell Institute and then graduated from Apache High School. Laquita later became a civil service worker, where she served as a secretary at the Department of Acquisitions until her retirement in 1971. She was united in marriage to Henry "Hank Pratt" Tomahsah on April 22, 1967, in Wichita Falls, Texas. They were blessed with 40 years of marriage and resided in Apache with their beautiful family. They brought all of their children into the arena by the age of 2. The Tomahsah family traveled to powwows and made numerous friends across the powwow circuit. She was a huge influence in teaching and supporting her children and grandchildren in learning about the pow-wow arena. Two children would even go on to earn world championship titles and they give all credit to their loving mother. Later in her years, Laquita finally decided to dance, and participated as a golden age southern cloth dancer. She proved to be a natural in the arena and placed in contests all across North America and Canada. Laquita became a self-taught seamstress and gained recognition for her innovative and trendsetting styles of pow-wow regalia and it ultimately lead her to achieve her goal of a small uniquely hand-crafted purse company, Native Authentic Hand-Purses. In the early 70s she became very active in Native issues, her first trip was to Washington D.C. to participate in the American Indian Movement. She stood up for many issues across native country on the national, state and local level. Her attention turned to the issues of the Native children and what they faced in the school system. She assisted in starting many programs and committees to help children and families on a regional level. Many of these programs were adopted and known today as the Johnson O'Malley and Title IV. Her life was dedicated to God, her children and family and later her grandchildren. She is a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, where she had all five of her children baptized. She later became a member of the Native American Church Chapter and supported her husband by following the Comanche way of life. She had set a steady foundation filled with love, strength, courage and knowledge. She instilled great qualities that will live in every generation to follow. She will surely be missed, but her spirit will live on inside all those who loved her and knew her through the beautiful memories. Laquita's legacy lives on through one sister, Charlesetta Carrillo of Albuquerque, N.M.; her children: Micky and Jeanette Weryackwe of Anadarko; Janetta and Adrian Gooday of Apache; Gary and Vanessa Tomahsah of Elgin; and Bonnie and Anthony Monoessy of Fletcher; her grandchildren: Nivy Poemoceah, Carl Poorbuffalo, Thoseyah Poemoceah, Amanda Wilson, Jenny Weryackwe, Numu Tomahsah, Woyukudoy Poemoceah, Naiyah Gooday, Nzhune Gooday, Soonts Gooday, Charlie Ray Tomahsah, Dezirae Monoessy, Decora Monoessy, Maci Tomahsah and Anthony Monoessy Jr.; as well as seven great-grandsons. She is welcomed to her heavenly home by her loving husband Henry Tomahsah; one son, Charles Ray Tomahsah; two sisters: Charlotte Nevaquaya and Lois Emarthle; and parents: Charlie and Amanda Cooper. |
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