Kip Richard Ramsey Jr.

Tipyalanah-Kip Richard Ramsey Jr. member of the Yakama People, lifelong White Swan Community member passed away July 7th 2012 up on the closed area of the Yakama Reservation. Jr. was born April 14th 1971 to Kip Richard and Lydia Mae (Stephenson) Ramsey. He attended school at Betty Jackson’s Daycare, Harrah Elementary, and White Swan High School. Jr. graduated with the class of 1989. Throughout his school years, Jr. wrestled, trapped coyotes, was a member of the F.F.A., and won numerous awards for his cattle. After school he loved to run home and jump on his motorcycle and venture off for hours. Jr. truly enjoyed life on the reservation and took every advantage of being outdoors.

After school Jr. began working at the family logging company Tiin-Ma Logging. Jr. started at the bottom and after time he could run any machine, could drive a logging truck, keep the books, do mechanic work. Anything that Jr. could do he would do and without hesitation.

Jr. married Dacie Rae Arquette in July 1989. They celebrated their vows at the Toppenish Culture Center’s Winter Lodge. Jr. and Dacie were married the Shaker Way. Harris Teo Sr., Lorraine Teo, and the 1910 Shaker members performed the ceremony. Jr. was blessed to have 4 children; Kip Richard Ramsey III, Nathan Levi, Mathew Amos, and Bethany Ruth Ramsey. Jr. was also blessed to have a granddaughter Melanie Latit Ramsey and was very happy to learn he would soon be Grandpa again come January 2013. Jr. loved his wife, children, and grand daughter. Jr. loved to tease everyone all the time. Jr. enjoyed spending as much time as possible in the mountains teaching his wife and kids every trail, every creek, and traveling to each of the numerous lakes- always racing to make sure he was the first to get there. He loved the ways of our Nation; hunting, fishing, trapping, and just to be on the road knowing it was his way of life, he had respect for the Nation way of life.

Jr. camped at Beauty Camp every weekend during the summer and into fall. When Jr. wasn’t camping he kept busy with his many projects. Jr’s latest project was restoring his dad’s 1964 Dodge Power Wagon for the ground up. Jr. was a very hard worker and he expected the same from everyone else around him.

Jr. always stopped to take time to be with Dacie and the kids for all their activities. He was in charge the family businesses which included Tiin Ma Logging, the Cougar Den, the Wolf Den, and the family ranch and cattle. Jr was a school board member for the Mt. Adams School District for over 12 years.

Jrs. laugh and smile will be missed by everyone.

Jr is survived by his wife Dacie; sons Richard and Mathew; daughter Bethany; his parents Kip, Lyndia, and Darlene; daughter-in-law and granddaughter Roxana and Melanie; sister LaVilla (Anthony); “adopted kid” as he would say Robert Gunnier; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, co-workers, and Jr’s dogs, M.C. and Litsa.

Jr. is preceded in death by his grandfolks, Clyde & Lavilla Ramsey, Don, and Ruth Stephenson, uncle Clyde Skeet Ramsey, and a son, Nathan Levi Ramsey.

Viewing services will be held on Tuesday to start at 9 a.m. at the Toppenish Creek Longhouse, in White Swan.

At his discretion, cremation will take place.

Merritt Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.

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