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Phoenix, Arozona Wednesday, January 05, 2011 December 10, 1925 ~ December 24, 2010 PHOENIX, Ariz.: Funeral for Benjamin Zurega Jr., 85, Phoenix, Ariz., will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Comanche Nation Funeral Home Chapel, Lawton. Prayer service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel. Ben Zurega Jr. died Friday, December 24, 2010, at his home in Phoenix. Burial will be in Cache Creek Cemetery, west of Apache. He was born December 10, 1925, at the Kiowa Indian Hospital in Lawton, to Benjamin and Minnie Nicolas Zurega of Apache. He graduated from high school at Fort Sill Indian School in Lawton. He received his bachelor's degree in education from North Eastern State University, Tahlequah, and his master's degree in education from Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz. He was an academic teacher, principal, home living supervisor with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and an employee development specialist with Indian Health. He was an avid bowler, fisherman, and reader of history, biography and adventure. He enjoyed traveling, attending Indian Pow-Wows, Big Band music, swimming, and dancing. He played softball, baseball, dominoes, cards, and Monopoly. He was chairperson and morale booster with the American Indian Scouting Association. He served as president of the Haskell University Alumni, Phoenix Chapter; was a member of Apache Oklahoma High School Alumni; and deacon of Central Presbyterian Church, Phoenix, Ariz. He was also treasurer and vice president of the Native American Seniors Association, Phoenix; a member of Friends of the Phoenix Public Library; and telephone caller for the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, Chapter 1686, Phoenix. He served in the Air Force during World War II from 1944 to 1946. He was about to be flown over to join the war, but they heard he was coming and the war ended. He was a member of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and worked at the Arizona State Fair as Security Guard for 16 years. He had lived in Phoenix for more than 30 years. He is survived by one son, Desmond T. Zurega, Phoenix; two daughters: Gina Z. Smith, Las Vegas; and Rosa Ridgway, of Cache; four grandsons; one granddaughter; one great-grandson; and one great-granddaughter; three sisters: Evangeline Chappabitty, Lawton; Mary Zurega Cripps, Apache; and Carolina Zurega Durado, of San Diego. He was preceded in death by his parents; and three brothers: Vincent Zurega, Melfred Yuzos and Marvin O. Zurega. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. |
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