Steven Begay

Steven Yazzie Begay age 77, of Toyah, Texas finished his earthly race and went into The Creator’s presence on December 25th, 2020.  Viewing will be at Pecos Funeral Home from 9:00am to 4:00pm on Thursday, December 31st, 2020.

Funeral and burial services will be combined and held at the gravesite only, on Saturday, Jan. 2nd, 2020 at 2:00pm.  Gravesite service is at the family burial site on the east side of FM2903, approximately 3 miles south of Toyah, Texas. The funeral procession will leave the Pecos Funeral Home at approximately 1:15pm.

Steve was born to Kee Yazzie and Mary Alice Begay in Chinle, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation on September 25th, 1943.  He had many fond memories of tending his family’s sheep as a child along the trails between Rough Rock and Many Farms Lake. He started school in Many Farms, Arizona then went on to Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Oregon. He returned to Chinle High School where he became a Wildcat running back in 1959, on one of the very first football teams on the Navajo Reservation.  Oh how he loved football and especially the Balmorhea Bears.  He was a patriotic American who loved hoisting the flag and singing the National Anthem, and was very proud of his heritage.

He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in a barn in Toyah, Texas alongside Mackie McAlpine and was baptized with his son Dearheart Begay at West Park Baptist Church, Pecos, Texas.  He loved Jesus, music and loved to sing gospel songs in both Navajo and English.  He loved being a follower of his Shepherd Jesus Christ and spent all of his later years working to be worthy of His Love.  He was a generous and happy person and very precise and thorough in how he lived his daily life, at home and at work.  He worked in the sawmills in Colorado and Arizona and many other jobs, including as a long haul truck driver for nearly 15 years.  He retired from the Napa Auto Parts Store in Pecos after working there for many years.  We were all very proud of his graduation from welding school at Odessa College in 2009.

One of his favorite past times was team roping where he became an excellent header always trying to catch after throwing only two loops.  He loved his parents, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, and so many other relatives, neighbors, friends, horses and rodeo. Steve’s birth parents died when he was young and he was raised by his grandmother, Asantsoh and the parents who adopted him, Kador and Zonnie Jumbo who have all preceded him in death.  He loved all these people and the older Navajos of his mother’s clan, Tseikeehe’ (two rocks sit by each other), and born for Kinyaa’a’anii (towering house people).

Also preceding our Beloved in death are his brother, Henry Jumbo and two sisters, Mary Ann and Catherine James.  Steve is survived by his wife of 49 years, Berta Begay; three sons, Nino Begay and wife Laverne, Dondi and Dearheart Begay; and two daughters, Twila Jean Gleason and husband Clint, and Misty Moon Begay; a half-sister, Emma Elliott; and grandchildren, Joshua, Caleb, Nino Steven, Jo Annah Begay; Kayla, Autumn, Dondi Jr. Begay, and Holly and Avery Gleason.

Pallbearers will be Dondi and Dearheart Begay, Dewayne and Harry Jumbo, Jimmy Barragan, and Kyle Garcia.  Honorary pallbearers are Nino Begay, Clint Gleason, Chee Begay, Woody Woodard, Joe Legarda, Coach Vance Jones, Margarito Avila, Nolberto Navarrette and Chava from Napa.

In lieu of flowers or donations, please make a contribution to your church or favorite animal rescue.