Harriet Amerman

Our beloved and nurturing elder, Harriet Mae Amerman, passed away in the early morning hours of Tuesday September 24th at the Veterans Nursing Home in Lewiston, ID. Harriet was a full-blood Choctaw that was born in her rural home within the ancient original boundary of the great Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. She was born in Marlow, Oklahoma to Alice Bond Wright and Andrew Wright on September 28, 1927. Her mother died at an early age and she and her siblings were raised by their Grandfather, Reverend Redmond Bond, as well as other family members in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona. The primary language spoken in Harriet's households was the Choctaw language.

By the early 1930's the Bond family migrated from Oklahoma to Phoenix, AZ due to Reverend Bond's health. Harriet attended and graduated from Phoenix Indian School in 1945, and later went on to also graduate from business school in Phoenix, AZ. While working as an employee with the Phoenix offices of the Arizona State Highway Department, she met her to-be husband, Dale E. Amerman. They wed in Phoenix, AZ on March 31, 1956 and were married for a total of sixty-eight years. Dale and Harriet had 2 children in the late 1950's: Roger and Marcus. Besides residing in Phoenix, the Amerman family also lived in Prescott, AZ; St.George, UT; Salt Lake City, UT; Portland, OR; Pendleton, OR; Lawton, OK; Oklahoma City, OK; Duncan, OK and Kooskia, ID. In all those years and places Harriet was a diligent, nurturing, and loving wife, mother, aunt, and grandmother. She supported, joined, and was an active member of the Christian community wherever she lived. While living in Kooskia,ID Harriet and Dale joined the First Presbyterian Church of Kamiah, ID. She was also an engaged and active member of the Phoenix Indian Club in the 1960's and the Portland Indian Club in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Harriet was often cited for her hard work and friendly attitude in the community.

In the 1960's Harriet was an apprentice cook at the Arizona State Fairs to the world-famous Tohono and Akimel O'odham (Pima and Papago) fry-bread makers of southern Arizona. All of the Arizona Tribes made stellar fry bread, but the O'odham ladies were legendary, renown, and could draw large crowds in "a New York minute". Wherever Harriet's sons went to school, she made it a priority to visit their classes and share her Native American heritage with all the youth. Mrs. Amerman was fiercely proud of being an enrolled member of the Choctaw Peoples and their ancient legacy in North America, as well as their significant role in shaping and participating in Colonial America. She also loved family events, travel in the West, Native social events, and Native ceremonies. She was also a staunch advocate for higher education in the Native American community. She will be greatly missed by her friends, family, and all that knew her.

Harriet is survived by her husband, Dale Amerman of Lewiston, ID. Her sons, Roger (Carolyn) Amerman of Stites, ID and Marcus Amerman of Santa Fe, NM. Her grandsons, Sirus B. Amerman of Sante Fe, NM, Darren (Katherine) Amerman of Bremerton, WA, Dawson Amerman of Lynnwood, WA, Preston Amerman of Stites, ID and a granddaughter Mila Amerman of Santa Fe, NM. And three great grandchildren.