Jess Jim Oosahwe

Funeral services for Jess Jim Oosahwe will be held on Thursday, September 26th, 2019 at 10:00 AM at Reed-Culver Chapel with Pastor Bill Pettit officiating. The family will have a visitation on Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 beginning at 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. He will be laid to rest at Towie Cemetery in Tahlequah, OK. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Jess include Phillip Oosahwe, Mykiah Oosahwe, Thaden Oosahwe, Willard Oosahwee, Preston Oosahwee and Andy Oosahwe Jr. His Honorary Pallbearers include Chuck Bread, Gary Littledeer and Tim Muskrat.

Jess Oosahwe passed from this world on his next journey September 23rd at 1:00 am at the young age of 77 years. He leaves behind many people who loved him very much and will miss his mischievous smile and jokes.

Jess was born to Wilson and Dessie on July 28th, 1942 at home in rural Oklahoma. Dad spoke fondly of his early childhood memories from helping his dad and mom, to torturing his siblings. He had many adventures as a child, from riding in wagons to venturing to town for a special meal. It sounds he became a great ball player as a teenager. I heard the stories from relatives and friends my entire life and was often compared against him. After High school, he attended a University in Kansas for a brief time. Those years I have not heard many stories from, but if I know my dad, they were entertaining. He joined the Navy and served in Vietnam. He did not talk much about those times and I asked a lot growing up. Later in life, he opened up and we talked about those years, but these stories are for my ears only. He was very proud he served his country. After he returned home, he was married for a short time and had two sons, Chris and myself, and he loved us dearly. He raised us with help from siblings and relatives in a time when it was unheard of to have a single male parent. I would not have had it any other way. As he went on through life raising one son while the other went to stay with the mom, I know it hurt my father. He did come back to us, which I know made my father whole again. As the years went on and he gained more grey hair and life experience, he softened and enjoyed life. He married Nancy and we gained a lovely woman in our lives. They adopted two young children and the rest is history. Dad loved those two babies like he loves Chris and me. I am saddened that they only got to see his love for a short time. He had many hobbies, but the main involved his Cherokee heritage, from arts and crafts to weaponry. His main expertise was Cherokee blowgun/darts, for which he is recognized as a Cherokee National Treasure forever. He loved dancing at powwows and was a very avid golfer. He got me interested in both of these as well as teaching the traditional arts. Over the years, we talked and I asked for advise during many of our powwow trip in the early years and our golf outings in later years. I just loved being around that old man.

Family consists of his wife, Nancy, children, Phillip (myself), Kash, and Kahli, his sister, Georgia, half siblings, Wilson, Doris, daughter-in-law, Ruth, grandchildren, Mykiah, Thaden, Ellery and Rosie and many other relatives. He has met in the next journey, his father, mother, two brothers, sister, son and many other relatives to keep him busy.

He is the best man I know. He has touched so many lives as can be witnessed with the people stopping in to see him in. When I finish my time on this planet I hope I have become half the man/father my father is. He is my Father as well as Mother (figure) and best friend all in one person.

These are the memories and stories from my perspective (Phillip).

Dad I know you will not see this, I have always followed in your footsteps and you were always and forever my Hero. I Love You Dad.

Written by Phillip Oosahwe