Obituary: Eli, Richard J.

(Age 68) Passed away September 4, 2013 in Wellpinit, WA.

He was born January 19, 1945 to Gibson Eli and Tibe Gutierrez in Pueblo, CO.

He is survived by: his wife of 41 years, Iva E. Eli; children, Marie Eli, Lee Eli (Patsy), DeDe Eli, Sam Eli, Samantha Dillon (Russell), and Leyton Tibe Eli (Regg Hafer); adopted children, Martin Garcia, Francis Carson, Louise Wynne, Linda Hunter, Holly Nanamkin, Pokey Williams, Bill Williams and Jim Samuels; 13 grandchildren; 15 3/4 great-grandchildren; brothers, Andy and Greg Gutierrez, Leon Alexander, Ken Bonga and Paul Moses; sister, Gloria Martinez and Elizabeth Alexander.

He was preceded by: his father, Gibson Eli, and mother Tibe Gutierrez; brothers, Ed Moses, Steven Gutierrez, Carlos Garcia, and Speedy Bonga; and granddaughter, Randi Stam.

There will be a wake on Sunday, September 8, 2013, 7:00pm followed by a funeral Mass Monday, September 9, 2013 at 10:00am, both at the Spokane Tribal Longhouse.

Interment at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Wellpinit.