RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Scholars of Native American history will gather at the University of California, Riverside and Sherman Indian High School in Riverside for a two-day symposium, “Sherman Institute: The American Indian Boarding School Experience,” on Feb. 7 and 8, beginning at 9 a.m.
The symposium is free and open to the public. Feb. 7 activities will take place in Costo Library, located on the fourth floor of the Tomás Rivera Library at UCR. Parking is $6. The symposium will move to the Sherman Indian High School auditorium, 9010 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, on Feb. 8.
Scholars will address a variety of topics specific to the experience of Native Americans at Sherman Institute — which became Sherman Indian High School in 1970 — as well as the boarding school experience more generally.
“We want people to understand about the attempted assimilation of American Indian children by taking them out of their homes and putting them in boarding schools,” explained Clifford E. Trafzer, Rupert Costo Chair in American Indian Affairs at UC Riverside and co-editor of the recently published book “The Indian School on Magnolia Avenue: Voices and Images from Sherman Institute.” The book was written and edited by historians connected to UC Riverside and Lorene Sisquoc, curator of the Sherman Indian Museum and a UCR master’s degree site supervisor. “In spite of that, many children used their education and experiences — sometimes positive, sometimes bitter — to help their tribes understand U.S. government, business and culture.”
Presenting research in the UCR portion of the event will be: David Adams of Cleveland State University, “What We Don’t Know about the History of Indian Boarding Schools”; Robert McCoy, Washington State University, “Building to Assimilate: Mission Architecture of Sherman Institute”; Diana Bahr, UCLA, “Robert Kennedy and Sherman Institute, A Promise Fulfilled”; Leleua Loupe, California State University, Fullerton, “A Network of Control: Exploiting Indigenous Labor in the West”; Kevin Whalen, UCR, “Indian School and Company Town: Sherman Student-Laborers at Fontana Farms Company, 1907-1930″; Jason Davis, CSU San Bernardino, “Paradigm Shift: Assimilation to Preservation at Sherman Indian School”; Matthew Sakiestewa Gilbert, University of Illinois, “Hopi Runner Harry Chaca and the 1929 Vallejo Pre-Olympic National Marathon”; William O. Medina, Riverside Community College, “Patriotic Indians at Sherman Institute”; Kathleen Bartosh, UCLA, “Domesticity and Defense: The Female Experience at the Sherman Institute, 1930-1960”; Jean Keller, Palomar College, “Before Sherman Institute: The Perris Indian School.” Trafzer and Sisquoc will serve as moderators.
At Sherman Indian High School, current and former students, staff and faculty as well as Sherman scholars and historians will convene for three panel discussions in the morning. The museum will be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and a visit to the off-site school cemetery is planned from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The symposium is sponsored by the Sherman Indian School Museum and UCR Costo Chair, California Center for Native Nations, Native American Educational Program, and Native American Student Programs of UC Riverside.
From left, Brandon Dully of Guy F. Atkinson Construction, Marysville City Council member Rob Toyer, Sally Hintz with the office of U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, City Council members Steve Muller, Michael Stevens and Donna Wright, and former Mayor Dennis Kendall officially dedicate the 1-5 overcrossing at 156th Street in north Marysville on Jan. 28. Photo by Kirk Boxleitner.
MARYSVILLE — Three months after it opened, and two weeks after it was closed for final tweaks, the 1-5 overcrossing at 156th Street in north Marysville was officially dedicated on Jan. 28.
“As we were setting this date, we joked that the one thing we could be absolutely certain of was that it would be snowing, sleeting, hailing or raining today,” said Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, as he and his fellow dedication ceremony attendees shivered under tents while rain poured down on the temporarily closed road.
Nehring extended credit for the overcrossing not only to the Marysville City Council and former Mayor Dennis Kendall, as well as contractors Guy F. Atkinson Construction, but also to the city’s partners in funding, from the Tulalip Tribes to the members of the public/private Local Improvement District.
“It’s a testament to what can be done even when state and federal dollars are drying up,” Nehring said, even as he acknowledged that, “Yes, this is designed to become a full interchange, so I hope we’ll be able to apply for federal grants and have senators [Maria] Cantwell and [Patty] Murray, as well as Rep. [Rick] Larsen, see our degree of need.”
Nehring touted the overcrossing as key not only to easing traffic congestion on the I-5 interchange at 172nd Street, but also for further paving the way for a dedicated manufacturing and light industrial center in north Marysville where a great deal of infrastructure has already been established to support such a venture.
“Last November, the manager of the Costco in Lakewood was calling me up and asking to make sure this overcrossing would open on time,” Nehring said. “Sure enough, it was finished in time for ‘Black Friday’ shopping right after Thanksgiving. It just needed to be closed these past two weeks for a few final touches to be added.”
Brandon Dully of Atkinson Construction shared a laugh with Nehring under the tent about the day’s downpour.
“This is just a normal Marysville day for us,” Dully said. “Most of our jobs north of Everett are in weather like this, but we’re up to the challenge.”
Dully proudly touted Atkinson’s safety record on the site by pointing out that only “two very minor accidents” occurred during the project.
“One of the best parts of this job is that we were able to support local labor by giving jobs to guys just down the road,” Dully said. “Just let us know when we need to put on- and off-ramps on this thing, and we’ll be back.”
Nehring concluded the ceremony by crediting the decision to go with an overcrossing to a committee made up of area residents and various governmental organizations.
“Marysville didn’t just dream this up in a vacuum all by ourselves,” Nehring said. “We were committed to the best alternative possible.”
MARYSVILLE — The Ken Baxter Community Center, located at 514 Delta Ave. in Marysville, is hosting a Spring Craft Show on Saturday, April 13.
Quality hand-made gifts include Spring and Mother’s Day items, gifts for pets, children, hats, tutus, stained glass, jewelry, plants, garden items, wood crafts and much more. Great turnout is expected. The show is slated to be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Parks and Recreation Department is currently accepting applications for vendors. Call for an application or email mburgess@marysvillewa.gov.
This is a juried show. Table cost is $50 inside and $25 outside. For complete details call 360-363-8450.
Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring emphasizes the importance of carefully managed spending to the city’s long-term well-being during his Jan. 25 State of the City address. Photo by Kirk Boxleitner.
MARYSVILLE — Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring reflected on a year of transitions and partnerships during his Jan. 25 State of the City address for 2013, at the same time that he pledged that the city would continue to meet its citizens’ needs through disciplined methods.
“There is no higher priority than public safety,” Nehring told the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce during its Business Before Hours. “In the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen the work of our SWAT team, and our strike team made 100 arrests in its first month, in May of last year. Crime is on the rise throughout the county and the state, but we’re sending the message that Marysville is not a good place to be a burglar.”
Nehring credited cautious budgeting with allowing the city to reach a 10 percent emergency reserve mark, and noted that other savings are already being reinvested in much-needed infrastructure improvements, from equipment and vehicle replacements to signals, streets and sidewalks. He praised the Tulalip Tribes for their financial support of these projects, as well as the 156th Street overcrossing that was completed in time for “Black Friday” shopping last November, just as he lauded the city’s citizens for participating so fully in Marysville’s “Clean Sweep.”
“Part of revitalizing our downtown is making those areas more attractive,” Nehring said of the volunteers who painted out graffiti, took part in the Shred-A-Thon and dropped off their trash at Marysville First Assembly of God’s borrowed dumpsters. “Volunteers gave 4,400 hours of service to this city last year, which adds up to $93,000 in value to the city, which is why I encourage you to nominate Volunteers of the Month to be recognized.”
Among the positive signs that Nehring sees for the city are its uptick in building permits issued, facilitated by the city’s online permitting process, and the arrival of the Armed Forces Reserve Center and the Everett Clinic in Smokey Point last year, as well as the new Walmart and Honda dealership that will open their doors in Marysville this year.
“The new Ebey Slough Bridge will open a whole host of possibilities, especially if we can get on- and off-ramps to make it an alternative I-5 access-way to Fourth Street,” Nehring said. “A manufacturing and light industrial center in Smokey Point will also grow our jobs base. We’ve got great plans for 2013, so we should continue to promote this city and make it a community we can all be proud of.”
Marilyn Sheldon demonstrates the art of making Pendleton bags.
Crafting Pendleton bags at the Hibulb Cultural Center
Article and photo by Jeannie Briones
Admirers of the bright and colorful patterns of Pendleton wool were in for a treat at the Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center on January 26th. Marilyn Sheldon, a Tulalip tribal member and artisan, shared her inspiration for making unique Pendleton bags with community members attending the Hibulb’s Cultural Series.
Taught how to sew by her mother, Marilyn turns second hand fabric scraps into gorgeous purses, pillows, backpacks, and more. “Recycle, utilize every piece you can. Don’t throw anything away, even your scraps. Pieces you get from the thrift shop can turn into to amazing beautiful gifts,” said Marilyn.
Sharing over ten years of experience in bag making, Marilyn gave a step-by-step demonstration on how to sew a small handbag, beginning with the layout, basic construction and measuring of the bag.
“You can’t make anything overnight; your best piece will take months. I really think about what I want to do. What would make them happy, what is something unique they don’t have, what is something they would use – and bring it to reality,” said Marilyn.
She also offered helpful tips on ways to save time and to save money by shopping at thrift stores and using handles from old purses. One example shown by Marilyn was a bag made from a second hand skirt, which comes with lining already sewn in.
Marilyn created her first personalized bag for herself last year – a vibrant pink golf bag, complete with her initials “M.S.” and “Golf Girl” inscribed on it. She is also planning on making her first Pendleton coat.
These gorgeous bags cannot be found in any stores, because Marilyn has no intentions of ever selling them, instead she simple enjoys making people happy through gifting her handmade items.
Marilyn has fun making these special bags and encourages others to learn. “This is a good way for people to utilize hands, heart, and mind,” explained Marilyn.
Shortly after noon Wednesday, Jan. 16, Washington’s new governor Jay Inslee laid forth the vision for his first term that included focusing on job creation and preservation, a balanced operating budget, meeting the needs of the state’s education system, and an affordable health care system responsive to consumer needs.
Inslee delivered his inaugural address to a joint session of the legislature after being sworn in during a mid-morning ceremony in the Capitol rotunda.
Inslee views health care reform as a primary link to reaching a balanced budget and fully-funded education system.
“To honestly address our budget problems, we must admit the difficult truth that the road to a balanced budget and a fully funded educational system runs directly through health care reform,” he said. “This means investing in preventive care and aligning incentives with patients to encourage healthy lifestyle choices.”
In his speech, Governor Inslee stressed that Washington must stay innovative in order to remain competitive in a fast-changing world. Inslee, quoting former president and fellow Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, said “Never have we had so little time in which to do so much.”
Following the inaugural address, Republicans held a press briefing in response to comments made by the governor. Representative and House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt (R-20, Chehalis) applauded Inslee’s enthusiasm for innovation.
“We’ve got to be more innovative when it comes to reforming our government. We’ve got to live within our means,” he said.
Inslee stated that government, too, must also be agile and able to adapt to new circumstances. “I heard a clear and powerful message on election day. The people of Washington state are tired of a state government that doesn’t change with the times,” he said.
The governor said he wants government programs to be measured by their successes, rather than simply how much money is invested in them. Referring to taxpayers as “customers,” Inslee said that the cycle of old, uncompromising ideas are unproductive, and that his administration is dedicated to “a multi-year effort to bring disruptive change to Olympia, starting with the very core of how we do business. If we’re serious about long term economic growth, innovation must become part of the very culture of Olympia.”
Senator Andy Hill (R-45, Redmond) was impressed by Inslee’s pledge to measure the success of programs by their results, not the dollars spent. But Republicans suggested that the governor’s speech was lacking in specifics.
Inslee emphasized that job creation will be his top priority while in office, a point with which Republicans said they completely agreed.
“Our priorities from day one have been consistent. Jobs, education and a sustainable budget,” said Schoesler.
And those three priorities are linked, said Representative Gary Alexander (R-2, Olympia), by helping the people of Washington to have faith in the legislative process. “If we can provide trust and a way to control our budget and be in control of our resources, the same way they do, then they will also have faith…to expand their resources,” said Alexander.
The governor singled out clean energy, such as solar and wind power, as a growth industry in Washington, one that he believes could help the state work toward sustainability in economic growth and stewardship of the environment.
“The key is affordable energy,” said Schoesler responding to the governor’s energy citation. “For that struggling family out there, the cost of energy is critical. Businesses locate to parts of Washington because of some of the most affordable energy in the United States. Keeping that energy affordable is very important to the state of Washington. If we look at our first priority of jobs, affordable energy is a big part of that.”
Inslee reiterated his support for education in the wake of the McCleary decision by the state Supreme Court, which instructed government to fund the basic education system before anything else. “I am proud to live in a state where the education of our children is enshrined as the paramount duty of state government.”
Science, technology, education and math curriculum, said Inslee, are a must for all levels of education. “They are the essential tools for success in this new economy,” he said.
The House Republican Caucus has put forth statements that it will submit a proposal to the legislature to create a separate basic education budget that would require adoption prior to any other budget negotiations each biennium.
“It’s not just funding education first, it’s funding it fully. And we intend to do that with the first K-12 budget,” said Alexander. “This sends a message to the Supreme Court that we are on a very sustainable path.”
Representative and Minority Caucus Chair Dan Kristiansen (R-39, Snohomish) explained that education has directly affected unemployment in the state. “If we’re going to pay for all these things, let’s face it, we need tax dollars,” said Kristiansen, “which means we need people working again.”
Health care reform may be a way to both save money and improve lives, Inslee said. Implementing the federal Affordable Care Act, including expansion of preventive care and encouraging citizens to lead healthy lifestyles, he said, will help the system “move from ‘sick care’ to the true health care system we deserve.”
Inslee cited mental-health care as an important part of preventing gun violence such as the recent shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Café Racer in Seattle, the murder of four police officers in Lakewood and the shooting at the Seattle Jewish Federation in 2006.
The governor urged cooperation and compromise in solving the problem of gun violence. “I don’t have all the answers, but I know the sooner we reject the extremes and embrace common sense, the sooner we’ll be able to get a public health solution to this public health problem.”
According to DeBolt, the members of the House Republican Caucus have met with the Washington Education Association (WEA) and the caucus has put together a task force in order to address mental health issues in the wake of these recent tragedies.
“Keeping our children and our teachers safe is one of our paramount duties,” said DeBolt. “We are willing to work with Jay Inslee, House Speaker Chopp, Senate coalition leader Rodney Tom, all of the people that need to be worked with to find a solution.”
In closing Inslee said, “I look forward to having a real dialogue with the Legislature in the coming weeks on how we best put our ingenuity to work to meet the challenges before us — on creating jobs, educating our children, changing how we do business in state government and creating a culture of leading the world in energy independence. Now let’s get to work.”
The Arlington Arts Council will present two shows to brighten up the dark winter days in the Romantic Winter Music Festival on two Saturdays in February.
On Saturday, Feb. 9, Last Leaf Productions will offer “Sweet and Hot,” a musical revue originally conceived by Julianne Boyd to showcase the musical works of Harold Arlen, a prolific composer from 1930-1970.
Together with popular lyricists including Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer and Truman Capote, Arlen wrote hundreds of songs that have become standards in American music. His work includes “Get Happy,” “Stormy Weather,” “Let’s Fall in Love,” and the songs from The Wizard of Oz including “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”
Terence Alaric Levitt is music director and accompanist for the show. A composer himself, Levitt has written many shows produced in the Seattle area and in California where he studied music and composition. He will be joined by Keith Ruby to fill out the musical accompaniment for the show.
Performers include Pat Haines-Ainsworth, who played Sister Hubert in Last Leaf’s production of “Nunsense” that played in the Byrnes Performing Arts Center two years ago. Also featured are Jonathan Reis, Emily Cawley, Krista Erickson and Buddy Mahoney who have collectively performed on many western Washington stages including Village Theatre, Northwest Savoyards and Seattle Musical Theatre.
On February 16, the Grammy Award-winning duo Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel return to Arlington for their first local performance since the grand opening of the BPAC in 2007.
Tingstad provides Americana finger-style guitar which is complemented by Rumbel’s wistful high-toned oboe floating gracefully above Tingstad’s gently swirling hypnotic guitar lines. On some pieces Rumbel plays English horn, and she adds a jig flavor with a peppy ocarina, which is much like a penny whistle.
The duo has released many albums, including Acoustic Garden, The Gift, Woodlands, In the Garden and Legends.
Both concerts start 7:30 p.m. at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center, 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd., adjacent to Arlington High School.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance online at brownpapertickets.com and at Flowers by George, 335 N. Olympic Ave., in downtown Arlington. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door.
Cancer survivors (from left) David Trader, Kristin Banfield, JoDonna Withers and Dennis Ross stand in front of the “HOPE” sign at the Marysville Relay for Life kickoff on Jan. 19.
Community members are preparing for this summer’s Marysville/Tulalip Relay for Life to raise money for the American Cancer Society, beginning with a Jan. 19 kickoff.
The Relay for Life is a 24-hour event that requires team members to collect donations for months ahead of time, then take turns walking non-stop around a track or lot. The annual event is the ACS’ biggest fundraiser for cancer research and aid.
The Marysville/Tulalip Relay for Life will be on June 29, 2013 at Asbery Field. Registration and donation information can be found at relayforlife.org/marysvillewa.
Kristin Banfield, chair for this year’s Marysville relay and a cancer survivor, said that the camaraderie and support from previous relays has been “absolutely mind-blowing and an amazing experience.”
Banfield, who has been on breast cancer walks before, also likes the all-inclusive nature of the relays. She has lost loved ones to other types of cancer and this is a way to honor all survivors and loved ones.
Another reason to support the relay is that a large percentage of the dollars raised stay local, she said. Much of the money raised go to the local American Cancer Society office that provides resources, both large and small, to cancer patients and survivors.
Banfield said they help in even small ways like providing her pillows after she had her surgery. “And you think that’s the weirdest thing in the world but it’s the most comforting thing when the last thing you want to do is get in the car because the seatbelt is rubbing in the places you’ve had surgery,” she said, “I want the services that I used to be available for the next person, and hopefully with the research we’re doing, there won’t be a next person someday.”
The goal for this year is to raise $200,000. Last year the Marysville/Tulalip Relay for Life raised around $150,000. Banfield hopes for 80 teams to participate, and they already have more than 20 teams signed up.
The theme for this year is “dream big, relay bigger.” Banfield said she wants to make the relay bigger and better than it has been in the past and wants to “really see what this Marysville community can do.”
The Marysville school board has begun the process of finding a new superintendent by contracting with Northwest Leadership Associates to help conduct the selection process.
After nine years of serving as Marysville’s superintendent, Dr. Larry Nyland announced on Jan. 3 he will retire at the end of this school year.
The school board said they appreciated the weight of the decision and that this process isn’t being taken lightly.
“We know this is a major assignment for the school board. It is the one thing we do that matters the most,” said school board member Cindy Erickson.
The board wants to find a replacement who will be as successful for the district as Nyland was during his nine years.
“I hope we only have to make this decision every nine or ten years,” said school board member Tom Albright.
The school board hired Northwest Leadership Associates during its Jan. 7 meeting.
Northwest Leadership Associates is a consulting firm that has specialized in screening and selecting superintendents and other school system leaders since 1999.
“We’re certain that Northwest Leadership Associates is going to deliver on their promise to not only find a great new leader to follow Dr. Nyland but also to involve the community,” said school board member Pete Lundberg.
The school board is anxious for input from the Marysville community about what they want from a superintendent and hired Northwest Leadership Associates in part because of their experience in gathering community opinions.
Lundberg hopes that a full cross-section of the community comes out to express their desire and looks forward to hearing opinions “from people of all walks of life.”
The board has wanted to reach out to the community for more than just the superintendent issue and hopes that this public process will help jumpstart that.
Nyland said he is encouraged that this will help get community members motivated to engage with the school district and hopefully, he said, this will be just the first round of community engagement.
Community relations are important because the superintendent not only runs a school district, but has to maintain and build its relationships with the community, said school board president Chris Nation.
Which is why, Erickson said, the new superintendent needs to be “somebody we believe in that can move the district forward. Someone who can continue to build relationships both within the community, within our school and within our partnerships.”
The school district has been improving steadily over the last decade, said board members, and they want to find someone who can continue that progress.
“We have a lot of things that seem to be headed in the right direction. We have a very motivated staff and it’s important we continue in that direction,” Lundberg noted.
Board members expressed that Nyland will be remembered and that whoever replaces him will have a tough act to follow.
“Larry, I wanted to say, you will be missed. You’ve proven yourself, not just in education, but also in who you are and how you’ve taken things that have not always been easy to take,” said Erickson.
“[Nyland]’s here in the morning. He’s here in the evening. He’s always sending me e-mails about new educational programs he’s found on the Internet. It’s 24/7 to him, and it truly pushes me to do more,” said Nation.
Nyland’s retirement announcement and personal message to the community are available at www.msvl.k12.wa.us.
Northwest Leadership Associates will be conducting surveys and public meetings to collect community opinions over the coming months.
Upcoming meetings:
The Marysville School District will hold two meetings for district parents, Marysville and Tulalip community members and district partners learn about, and provide input, for the new superintendent search process.
Meetings will be held at the Marysville School District Service Center Board Room, located at 4220 80th Street NE, Marysville, 98270, on Tuesday, 1/29/13 at 7:00 PM and Thursday, 1/31/13 at 6:00 PM. Both meetings are open to the public.
An electronic survey is available on the district website at www.msvl.k12.wa.us.
For more information on the search process, contact Jodi Runyon at jodi_runyon@msvl.k12.wa.us or (360) 653-0800.
Tulalip veteran Wes Charles, Jr., was born July 4, 1942 at the “Old Indian Hospital” off Star Route at Tulalip. “A Native American born on the 4th of July! You can’t get more American than that,” exclaimed Wes. It is his common retort to the gleeful responses elicited by those who learn his birth date.
His father was Wes Charles, Sr., a Snoqualmie Indian of the Tulalip Tribes and his mother is Helen Wise Singson, a Native of Nanaimo and NitiNat First Nations, B.C., Canada.
Wes’s maternal grandfather was Bill Wise, Sr., a Chief of the Nanaimo Band, B.C., Canada. His dear grandmother, Hazel Wise, was NitiNat of Vancouver Island, B.C. “They were a blessing in my life,” said Wes.
“Being an urban Indian and raised here in the city [Seattle], my one great regret is that I didn’t get to know my people at Tulalip. I have relatives at Tulalip, some I don’t know and I feel truly sorry and ashamed for not knowing them,” said Wes.
Of his Tulalip family, Wes has two half-sisters, Audrey and Diane Charles. “They live on the Tulalip reservation and I wish that I saw them more” His father, Wes Charles, Sr., has passed, as have his two uncles, Leo P. Charles and Joseph Charles, Jr.
Wes is grateful to have kept in touch with his Tulalip cousin Don (Penoke) Hatch whose generosity and habit of doing good without accolade he praised.
A second regret among the few of his life is not receiving his Indian name. “It is one sad aspect of urban living away from the people and culture of the reservation,” said Wes.
He spent much time with his grandparents at Nanaimo. His Nanaimo Indian Band has a family Sacred Mask dance and song, “SkweSkwe” that has been in his family for generations.
Of his Nanaimo, NitiNat, and Filipino family, Wes has three half-brothers, Marvin “Bunny” Singson who lives at Hoodsport, Sonny “Marciano” Singson who lives in Lacey, Mike “Butch” Singson who lived on the east coast but passed from cancer, and two half-sisters, Marilyn “Lynn” Singson who lives with his mother, Helen Singson, 90, in Renton, and Marian “Snookie” Singson who also passed from cancer
Wes said his has been a full life. “Like most Indian families, in my childhood, I experienced issues with family alcoholism, but my life was mostly good. I don’t like to think about the negative.” He was raised in Seattle and graduated from Garfield high school in 1960.
Wes was raised by his mother and his stepfather, Marciano Vincent Singson, a Filipino American who loved Wes and who taught him to cook specialty Filipino dishes loved by his family. “Dad raised six kids and worked with Great Northern on the railroad,” said Wes, adding that his family in B.C. was very fond of him.
Marine Corps Military Service
Wes served eight years in the Marine Corps where he traveled all around the world, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Philippines, Mexico and many U.S. states, Hawaii, Florida, North Caroline, and Guam
Wes Charles Jr. with his Medal of Valor.
In Chu Lai, a seaport in Nui Thanh district, Quang Nam province, Vietnam, Wes made five major operations, engaged with the enemy. “Chu Lai was all scrub pine. We were guarding the Seabees and made an airstrip for jets to land.”
Preparing to return from Vietnam in 1967, Wes was asked to choose three possible discharge stations in preferred order. Wanting to discharge close to home, he chose Sand Point, Bangor, and Camp Pendleton in that order. Instead sent to Marine Corps Base Camp LeJeune, a 246-square-mile United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina, later determined to be a toxic site. Wes was honorably discharged from Camp LeJeune after a year of final service, leaving the Marine Corps with the rank of Sergeant E5.
“Vietnam changed everything in my life. It took a long time to adjust after I returned. Night was my best friend. I was afraid to go to sleep, so I took long walks and sat in the park and reflected,” said Wes. “For a long time, I slept with a knife under the pillow and a pistol nearby.” He had gone to Vietnam with 125 men. Only 22 of them returned. For years, he was haunted by survivor guilt and the question, “Why did I come back, and not all those guys?”
Answers came unexpectedly in his recent viewing of a documentary film. A Sioux veteran with long gray hair related his return from Vietnam and ensuing years of depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and terrible nightmares. He then went to a sweat lodge purification ceremony and talked to an elder.
Wes was surprised when the Sioux veteran asked the same questions haunting him since Vietnam, “Why did I not get hit? Why did I come home and not them?” The elder replied, “You did get hit, but the bullets passed through you because the Creator had other things in store for you.” After 44 years, these words comforted. He could finally reconcile having been spared and accept that while he was not hit, he had his wounds, and that Creator had other things in store for his life. “I hope I’ve achieved my life purpose,” said Wes.
Another striking revelation from the documentary was that, due to stereotypes, other Native veterans had been required to serve as point man on military operations. This was often the case during Wes’s Vietnam experience. There was a stereotypical assumption that Indians have some innate gifts as guides. Of course, serving as point man also meant greater risk to life or limb.
Wes acknowledges discrimination in the Marine Corps. At the same time, “Throughout my military and law enforcement career, I saw a lot of prejudice against all colors. I saw people hungry for power. I saw people efficient at their jobs. I saw people in high places that are just collecting a check.”
In his ensuing law enforcement career, Wes was often approached for advice and support by veterans from various military branches “who had seen heavy fighting in Nam.” He noted, “It was something I did gladly. It worked both ways; it was a healing process for them and me.”
Asked about service-related health issues, Wes said he was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. “A lot of guys had a lot of diseases, lupus, cancer, arthritis, and rashes. I can’t go out into sun or I get a rash.”
Eldest son William James Charles (BJ), now age 37, had always wanted to join the service and enlisted in the Marines early in the Iraq occupation. He wanted to go to Iraq, but was instead sent to Military Occupational Service in Florida. “He made Private First Class right out of boot camp,” Wes proudly declared.
Ironically, Wes’s younger son, Nicholas Ryan Charles (Nick), now age 34, didn’t want to go to war, but joined the Marines in order to be with his brother, yet he was sent to Iraq where he sustained a perforated ear drum from an IED. “Nick made Honor Platoon out of boot camp,” said Wes.
Wes appreciated that the Tulalip Tribes invited his sons and him to have their portraits, as veterans, included at the administration building and the Hibulb Cultural Center.
His dad, Wes Charles, Sr., was also a veteran and had served in the Army Airborne in World War II. He was in many different campaigns and ultimately lost his toes during war. Wes’s uncle, Joe Charles, was killed in Korea. Brothers Marvin and Mike Singson also served, but they were in the Air Force.
Wes had joined the service with three buddies going back to junior high school. A best part of his service is that the four returned and have remained lifelong friends. Kal lives on Capitol Hill and calls Wes every Fourth of July on his birthday. Ed moved to Hawaii and they still keep in touch. His third buddy, Pete, is also his cousin and he lives on Bainbridge Island.
“The Love of My Life”
After returning from Vietnam, a friend introduced Wes to Laurie who would become his bride. Laurie was a beautiful woman of Norwegian, German, and Irish descent. He offered her a ride in his brand new 1966 GTO. “It was loaded,” said Wes. He put the top down and took her on a cruise around Lake Washington, but ended up with a ticket for excessive lane change. Laurie felt badly, but he assured her “it was worth it just being with you,” and they started dating.
Wes and Laurie married two years later in 1969. They were married for the next 44 years. “She was the love of my life,” said Wes, pointing to a portrait of the young Laurie. He spoke of their happy years together, of their symbiotic sense of humor, and shared photo albums and walls of portraits reflecting their happy life.
Wes lost his beloved Laurie to brain cancer on January 1, 2011. “She had breast cancer resulting in double mastectomy, which spread to her lymph nodes and other organs, but they didn’t realize it had spread to her brain.” They made at least 180 trips to the hospital during that time, sometimes going to three appointments in one day, for blood work, radiation, chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and labs.
To preserve her dignity, Wes refused caregiver services. He took care of her bathing, toilet needs, dressing, and the household duties. “She was more comfortable with me doing it,” said Wes. “Thankfully, I had recently retired from King County, so I was able to care for her full-time and had excellent health care benefits.”
Wes described Laurie’s generosity and her charitable work. She was committed to the work of Doctors without Borders and supported the American Cancer Society, the USO and Disabled American Veterans, local food banks, Food Lifeline, and countless poverty organizations. Wes pointed to a tablet listing 25 or more organizations and annual donation amounts of $50 to $100 each, contributions that he continues in her honor.
Wes’s life, today, is filled with cherished memories of his life with Laurie, of raising their two sons together, and now seeing his son’s establish their own lives. While he points to a life well lived, he admits that it was not without challenges.
Adding to the issues associated with Vietnam, like some in his family and many in Native communities, Wes started a pattern of problem drinking established in his service years. “You’re not a Marine unless you drink boos and it was cheap in the military. But when my first son was born, I told Laurie that I was going to quit. She was surprised and asked if I could do it on my own. I said I could and I did. That was 37 years ago and I haven’t touched a drink since! My word is my bond.”
Distinguished Law Enforcement Career
Wes began a 37-year career at the Seattle Police Department jail where he served for four years as a special police officer. A sergeant inquired whether he could handle a gun and whether he had served in the military, and then urged Wes to apply for a newly created position of Court Detail Officer. Wes was hired as one of the original group that received special training to handle high-security prisoners.
When King County and the Seattle City Council merged jails to save money, his job became a part of King County Adult Detention. It was the largest jail in the northwest, housing as many as some prisons. “It was a dangerous time in the late seventies when there was a lot of gang activity,” said Wes.
Wes said, “I’ve seen a lot of Natives come through jail. In the seventies, with local laws such as Drunk in Public (DIP) or Urinating in Public (UIP), I saw a lot of Indians being arrested.” He sometimes saw 98 bookings in those days, many of them Natives. Asked whether DIP and UIP actually helped alcoholics on the street, he replied, “Yes. It allowed “Three squares and a flop.” It allowed many to come in and dry out in a safe environment, to get three square meals and a chance to sleep in a cell where it was safe. “It was important to those Indians who would be targeted when they received their checks, especially the Indian kids who were often brought into jail after having been beaten up. They were safe to sleep.” Then, Wes realized the bookings had dropped off. Due to alcoholism’s classification as a medical issue, the state determined the DIP law violated the rights of the accused. “A lot of alcoholics disappeared after it was no longer a crime. We stopped seeing them at all.” Asked where they had gone, Wes surmised it was to the detox center, but it worried him..
In the late seventies, conflict occurred when prisons became over-crowded. The Washington Correction Center in Shelton announced it wouldn’t take any more prisoners. The King County jail backed up and something had to be done with over-crowding affecting the prisoner’s demeanor, well-being, and the safety of the officers.
Finally, a King County Superior Court judge ruled that the Washington Correction Center at Shelton had to accept convicted felons sentenced to prison.
Wes was put in charge a special detail transporting 75 prisoners in three (3) busses to Shelton. He appointed officers in charge of each bus and notified all law enforcement agencies between Seattle and Shelton of their plans. The officers had shot guns and Wes had a machine gun. To Wes’s surprise, the Chief arrived in a news helicopter, and after a status report thanked him and the men for a job well done. Wes received a nice letter of commendation, one of m any he would receive over the years.
After superiors nudged him, Wes took the sergeant’s examination. “I was competing against college educated applicants, but I had my Marine Corps training.” He took written and oral tests and scored just above average on the written examination, but scored first place on the oral board over nearly 90 applicants. He was promoted to sergeant and served for five to six years, then took the lieutenant’s test repeating the same test results. After serving for about six years as lieutenant, he was then promoted to captain and served in that role for the next 20 years.
Throughout his career, Wes processed many high-profile prisoners and addressed significant incidents. In 1984, Wes was taken hostage at jail by a prisoner who later admitted he planned to kill his parents. Five to six years into the incident, with SWAT on the roof and unable to access the prisoner, it was decided that Wes would take the prisoner down. He had a gun held to his head twice during the incident. Ultimately, Wes overpowered the prisoner and took him back into custody.
At the 1999 WTO, he said, “rabble-rousers came up from Oregon and the jail coordinated with Seattle Police Department.” His shift booked over 600 prisoners.
As an artist, Wes’s design skills were sought on several occasions. When an honor guard was created, he helped design the uniform in likeness to the Marine Corps uniform. He also helped draw and design the patches on the jail uniforms.
Commenting on what success such as his required, Wes said, “A lot of it is attitude and preparation. I took the basics, first aid, CPR, weapons, and any extra management training I could.” He also volunteered for the worst shift, graveyard, because it provided him the best experience. “Time passed quickly and I wasn’t afraid of the responsibility. Most importantly, said Wes, “In order to be a good leader, you have to be able to listen to people.” He had 75-80 officers on a shift. “I worked for 37 years in the jail and could easily have done 40 because I loved it so much.”
In 2000, Wes received a letter from King County stating he had been nominated for the Medal of Valor. The second highest award of the department, it was a unanimous nomination. Wes was the only captain to receive the Medal of Valor. “Throughout my military service and law enforcement career, I had to prove myself over and over and over again. This said I handled myself pretty good,” said Wes who served as a Captain for over 20 years.
A Life of Purpose
Colored pencil drawing by Wes Charles Jr.
Wes is a gifted artist who draws and sketches in pencil and colored pencil. He “I’m thinking about doing some more carving,” said Wes, adding, “I did a little carving when I was younger and carved a few pieces, including an owl for Laurie.” Though humble, Wes is also a gifted photographer, capturing spectacular shots of nature, flowers, and scenery from his lovely home perched high atop the hill in West Seattle with expansive views of the cityscape and mountain. Daily walks to the park with his dog, Gus, provide endless opportunity to capture “Mother Earth’s bounty” as Wes put it. His son and daughter-in-law were so impressed with his photography that they had a collection of his remarkable photos captured in a bound book.
Also for fun, Wes occasionally makes the trip north to the Tulalip casino, proudly stating it is the only one he’ll visit.
Wes’s eyes light up as he announces that his son Nick and daughter-in-law Kim are expecting their first child and his first grandchild. In a recent conversation, he excitedly reported, “They just called to say I am going to be a grandfather and it’s a girl! She will be named Isabella Laurie Kathryn Charles and will be born near the end of June.” Wes happily tells of Nick and Kim’s marriage in a traditional Korean ceremony last year, adding, “It was very special and beautiful.”
Asked whether he ever considered relocation to the reservation, Wes said it was not an option, adding, “A lot of urban Indians don’t live at the rez because there’s just no housing. Also, I had my career at King County and the commute with a young family was not a possibility.”
“Besides my children being born, Laurie, and law enforcement and the Marine Corps were highlights of my life. As I look back, I hope I have fulfilled my life purpose.”
