Emmitt Francis
March 12, 1943 - November 17, 2020 (age 77)
CHINLE, AZ — Graveside service for Emmett Francis, 77, of Chinle, was held Nov. 23 in Chinle, with Pastor Martin Haven officiating.
Emmett was born March 12, 1943, in Chinle, Arizona, into the Kiyaa’áanii (Towering House Clan), born for Honágháahnii (One-walks-around Clan). His nali is Tábaahá (Water’s Edge); cheii is Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water). He passed away Nov. 17, 2020, in Window Rock, Arizona.
Emmett graduated from Wingate High School and went on to earn degrees from the University of Arizona. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration in 1972 and a master’s degree in urban planning in 1974.
After obtaining his graduate degree, Emmett took his first job as a city planner with Pima County in Tucson. Shortly after returning to the Navajo Nation, he was appointed by Peterson Zah to establish the Navajo Nation’s first Tax Commission Office, serving as its first executive director and assisting Zah in establishing the nation’s Permanent Trust Fund with tax revenues, including back taxes, collected from corporations doing business on the nation.
These taxes were initially challenged — unsuccessfully — by powerful corporations in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Emmett was later appointed by the mayor of the City of Albuquerque to serve as the intertribal relations director. He spent the final years of his executive management career working for the Navajo Nation’s Office of Management and Budget as the senior budget officer for the tribe.
He provided 25 years of public service to the Navajo Nation. Emmett was a proud and generous father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was revered by his family for his educational, professional and personal accomplishments.
Though he was typically known to be a reserved man, Emmett was anything but that around his first and only 21-month-old great-grandson and namesake. His great-grandson shares his grin and spirit, and that’s been comforting to Emmett’s family.
Emmett was a lifelong athlete — a cyclist, golfer and runner. In recent years, he created many friendships on the golf course where he was always perfecting his golf swing or putting stroke.
And though he stopped running marathons and cycling after he turned 50, he still jogged regularly to maintain his health. Emmett was also a loyal and fierce sports fan to the extent that he was once escorted out of a local high school boys basketball game for loudly disagreeing with refereeing calls during a Chinle High School boys state playoff game, but he was allowed to re-enter the gym after he promised not to scare the referees for the rest of the game. Not only was he protective of his Chinle High basketball teams, but he also was supportive of all reservation and border town teams with aspiring Navajo athletes hoping to play college ball.
He travelled to as many state playoff games as he could manage.
Unsurprisingly, Emmett, a University of Arizona graduate, had the same fierce fan loyalty for his Arizona Wildcats. He was arguably the biggest Wildcat fan on and off the Navajo Reservation.
His life was always more about action than words, and that’s how we will remember him.
Emmett is survived by his son, Edward Todd Francis; daughter, Karen Francis-Begay; sisters, Rose Mason of Albuquerque, Dottie Hobson of Phoenix, and Sharon Gorman of Chinle; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Emmett is preceded in death by his son-in-law, Marcelino Figueroa III; mother, Ida H. Francis; father, Edward Francis Sr.; sister, Ada Clauschee; and brothers, James Francis, Keedah Francis, Manuel Francis, and Edward Francis Jr. Pallbearers were Bernard B. Begay, Keith B. Begay, Bryan B. Begay, Raul A. Figueroa, Douglas Clauschee, and David Clauschee.
Honorary pallbearers were Emmett P. Begay, Christopher L. Francis, Alex Yazza, Kevin Hailstorm, Andrew Yazza, Levi BigGoose, Walter Gorman, Richard Mason, Art Hobson Jr., William Hobson, Darrell Clauschee, Dwayne Clauschee, Darwin Clauschee, Andrew Hobson, Michael Francis, and Perry Francis. Summit Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
March 12, 1943 - November 17, 2020 (age 77)
CHINLE, AZ — Graveside service for Emmett Francis, 77, of Chinle, was held Nov. 23 in Chinle, with Pastor Martin Haven officiating.
Emmett was born March 12, 1943, in Chinle, Arizona, into the Kiyaa’áanii (Towering House Clan), born for Honágháahnii (One-walks-around Clan). His nali is Tábaahá (Water’s Edge); cheii is Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water). He passed away Nov. 17, 2020, in Window Rock, Arizona.
Emmett graduated from Wingate High School and went on to earn degrees from the University of Arizona. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration in 1972 and a master’s degree in urban planning in 1974.
After obtaining his graduate degree, Emmett took his first job as a city planner with Pima County in Tucson. Shortly after returning to the Navajo Nation, he was appointed by Peterson Zah to establish the Navajo Nation’s first Tax Commission Office, serving as its first executive director and assisting Zah in establishing the nation’s Permanent Trust Fund with tax revenues, including back taxes, collected from corporations doing business on the nation.
These taxes were initially challenged — unsuccessfully — by powerful corporations in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Emmett was later appointed by the mayor of the City of Albuquerque to serve as the intertribal relations director. He spent the final years of his executive management career working for the Navajo Nation’s Office of Management and Budget as the senior budget officer for the tribe.
He provided 25 years of public service to the Navajo Nation. Emmett was a proud and generous father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was revered by his family for his educational, professional and personal accomplishments.
Though he was typically known to be a reserved man, Emmett was anything but that around his first and only 21-month-old great-grandson and namesake. His great-grandson shares his grin and spirit, and that’s been comforting to Emmett’s family.
Emmett was a lifelong athlete — a cyclist, golfer and runner. In recent years, he created many friendships on the golf course where he was always perfecting his golf swing or putting stroke.
And though he stopped running marathons and cycling after he turned 50, he still jogged regularly to maintain his health. Emmett was also a loyal and fierce sports fan to the extent that he was once escorted out of a local high school boys basketball game for loudly disagreeing with refereeing calls during a Chinle High School boys state playoff game, but he was allowed to re-enter the gym after he promised not to scare the referees for the rest of the game. Not only was he protective of his Chinle High basketball teams, but he also was supportive of all reservation and border town teams with aspiring Navajo athletes hoping to play college ball.
He travelled to as many state playoff games as he could manage.
Unsurprisingly, Emmett, a University of Arizona graduate, had the same fierce fan loyalty for his Arizona Wildcats. He was arguably the biggest Wildcat fan on and off the Navajo Reservation.
His life was always more about action than words, and that’s how we will remember him.
Emmett is survived by his son, Edward Todd Francis; daughter, Karen Francis-Begay; sisters, Rose Mason of Albuquerque, Dottie Hobson of Phoenix, and Sharon Gorman of Chinle; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Emmett is preceded in death by his son-in-law, Marcelino Figueroa III; mother, Ida H. Francis; father, Edward Francis Sr.; sister, Ada Clauschee; and brothers, James Francis, Keedah Francis, Manuel Francis, and Edward Francis Jr. Pallbearers were Bernard B. Begay, Keith B. Begay, Bryan B. Begay, Raul A. Figueroa, Douglas Clauschee, and David Clauschee.
Honorary pallbearers were Emmett P. Begay, Christopher L. Francis, Alex Yazza, Kevin Hailstorm, Andrew Yazza, Levi BigGoose, Walter Gorman, Richard Mason, Art Hobson Jr., William Hobson, Darrell Clauschee, Dwayne Clauschee, Darwin Clauschee, Andrew Hobson, Michael Francis, and Perry Francis. Summit Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Emmitt Francis
March 12, 1943 - November 17, 2020 (age 77)
CHINLE, AZ — Graveside service for Emmett Francis, 77, of Chinle, was held Nov. 23 in Chinle, with Pastor Martin Haven officiating.
Emmett was born March 12, 1943, in Chinle, Arizona, into the Kiyaa’áanii (Towering House Clan), born for Honágháahnii (One-walks-around Clan). His nali is Tábaahá (Water’s Edge); cheii is Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water). He passed away Nov. 17, 2020, in Window Rock, Arizona.
Emmett graduated from Wingate High School and went on to earn degrees from the University of Arizona. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration in 1972 and a master’s degree in urban planning in 1974.
After obtaining his graduate degree, Emmett took his first job as a city planner with Pima County in Tucson. Shortly after returning to the Navajo Nation, he was appointed by Peterson Zah to establish the Navajo Nation’s first Tax Commission Office, serving as its first executive director and assisting Zah in establishing the nation’s Permanent Trust Fund with tax revenues, including back taxes, collected from corporations doing business on the nation.
These taxes were initially challenged — unsuccessfully — by powerful corporations in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Emmett was later appointed by the mayor of the City of Albuquerque to serve as the intertribal relations director. He spent the final years of his executive management career working for the Navajo Nation’s Office of Management and Budget as the senior budget officer for the tribe.
He provided 25 years of public service to the Navajo Nation. Emmett was a proud and generous father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was revered by his family for his educational, professional and personal accomplishments.
Though he was typically known to be a reserved man, Emmett was anything but that around his first and only 21-month-old great-grandson and namesake. His great-grandson shares his grin and spirit, and that’s been comforting to Emmett’s family.
Emmett was a lifelong athlete — a cyclist, golfer and runner. In recent years, he created many friendships on the golf course where he was always perfecting his golf swing or putting stroke.
And though he stopped running marathons and cycling after he turned 50, he still jogged regularly to maintain his health. Emmett was also a loyal and fierce sports fan to the extent that he was once escorted out of a local high school boys basketball game for loudly disagreeing with refereeing calls during a Chinle High School boys state playoff game, but he was allowed to re-enter the gym after he promised not to scare the referees for the rest of the game. Not only was he protective of his Chinle High basketball teams, but he also was supportive of all reservation and border town teams with aspiring Navajo athletes hoping to play college ball.
He travelled to as many state playoff games as he could manage.
Unsurprisingly, Emmett, a University of Arizona graduate, had the same fierce fan loyalty for his Arizona Wildcats. He was arguably the biggest Wildcat fan on and off the Navajo Reservation.
His life was always more about action than words, and that’s how we will remember him.
Emmett is survived by his son, Edward Todd Francis; daughter, Karen Francis-Begay; sisters, Rose Mason of Albuquerque, Dottie Hobson of Phoenix, and Sharon Gorman of Chinle; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Emmett is preceded in death by his son-in-law, Marcelino Figueroa III; mother, Ida H. Francis; father, Edward Francis Sr.; sister, Ada Clauschee; and brothers, James Francis, Keedah Francis, Manuel Francis, and Edward Francis Jr. Pallbearers were Bernard B. Begay, Keith B. Begay, Bryan B. Begay, Raul A. Figueroa, Douglas Clauschee, and David Clauschee.
Honorary pallbearers were Emmett P. Begay, Christopher L. Francis, Alex Yazza, Kevin Hailstorm, Andrew Yazza, Levi BigGoose, Walter Gorman, Richard Mason, Art Hobson Jr., William Hobson, Darrell Clauschee, Dwayne Clauschee, Darwin Clauschee, Andrew Hobson, Michael Francis, and Perry Francis. Summit Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
March 12, 1943 - November 17, 2020 (age 77)
CHINLE, AZ — Graveside service for Emmett Francis, 77, of Chinle, was held Nov. 23 in Chinle, with Pastor Martin Haven officiating.
Emmett was born March 12, 1943, in Chinle, Arizona, into the Kiyaa’áanii (Towering House Clan), born for Honágháahnii (One-walks-around Clan). His nali is Tábaahá (Water’s Edge); cheii is Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water). He passed away Nov. 17, 2020, in Window Rock, Arizona.
Emmett graduated from Wingate High School and went on to earn degrees from the University of Arizona. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration in 1972 and a master’s degree in urban planning in 1974.
After obtaining his graduate degree, Emmett took his first job as a city planner with Pima County in Tucson. Shortly after returning to the Navajo Nation, he was appointed by Peterson Zah to establish the Navajo Nation’s first Tax Commission Office, serving as its first executive director and assisting Zah in establishing the nation’s Permanent Trust Fund with tax revenues, including back taxes, collected from corporations doing business on the nation.
These taxes were initially challenged — unsuccessfully — by powerful corporations in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Emmett was later appointed by the mayor of the City of Albuquerque to serve as the intertribal relations director. He spent the final years of his executive management career working for the Navajo Nation’s Office of Management and Budget as the senior budget officer for the tribe.
He provided 25 years of public service to the Navajo Nation. Emmett was a proud and generous father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was revered by his family for his educational, professional and personal accomplishments.
Though he was typically known to be a reserved man, Emmett was anything but that around his first and only 21-month-old great-grandson and namesake. His great-grandson shares his grin and spirit, and that’s been comforting to Emmett’s family.
Emmett was a lifelong athlete — a cyclist, golfer and runner. In recent years, he created many friendships on the golf course where he was always perfecting his golf swing or putting stroke.
And though he stopped running marathons and cycling after he turned 50, he still jogged regularly to maintain his health. Emmett was also a loyal and fierce sports fan to the extent that he was once escorted out of a local high school boys basketball game for loudly disagreeing with refereeing calls during a Chinle High School boys state playoff game, but he was allowed to re-enter the gym after he promised not to scare the referees for the rest of the game. Not only was he protective of his Chinle High basketball teams, but he also was supportive of all reservation and border town teams with aspiring Navajo athletes hoping to play college ball.
He travelled to as many state playoff games as he could manage.
Unsurprisingly, Emmett, a University of Arizona graduate, had the same fierce fan loyalty for his Arizona Wildcats. He was arguably the biggest Wildcat fan on and off the Navajo Reservation.
His life was always more about action than words, and that’s how we will remember him.
Emmett is survived by his son, Edward Todd Francis; daughter, Karen Francis-Begay; sisters, Rose Mason of Albuquerque, Dottie Hobson of Phoenix, and Sharon Gorman of Chinle; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Emmett is preceded in death by his son-in-law, Marcelino Figueroa III; mother, Ida H. Francis; father, Edward Francis Sr.; sister, Ada Clauschee; and brothers, James Francis, Keedah Francis, Manuel Francis, and Edward Francis Jr. Pallbearers were Bernard B. Begay, Keith B. Begay, Bryan B. Begay, Raul A. Figueroa, Douglas Clauschee, and David Clauschee.
Honorary pallbearers were Emmett P. Begay, Christopher L. Francis, Alex Yazza, Kevin Hailstorm, Andrew Yazza, Levi BigGoose, Walter Gorman, Richard Mason, Art Hobson Jr., William Hobson, Darrell Clauschee, Dwayne Clauschee, Darwin Clauschee, Andrew Hobson, Michael Francis, and Perry Francis. Summit Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
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