Michael Pawnee
Funeral services for Michael Pawnee, 54, of Clinton have been set for 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Clinton.
He died Friday March 2, 2018, at Cordell Memorial Hospital.
Michael J. Eugene Pawnee was born Dec. 21, 1963, in Geary to William Pawnee Sr. and Alta (Harrison) Pawnee. He was raised in Calumet and attended Calumet schools.
In 1981 he received his uncle’s English name, Eugene White Thunder, and also his Cheyenne Indian name.
On Feb. 10, 1987, he married Toni (White Buffalo) Pawnee in El Reno. The couple made their home in Clinton.
He had been employed by Lucky Star Casino of Clinton for more than nine years, starting as a maintenance worker and working his way up to operations manager, a position he held for five years.
Pawnee was well known for his singing and his knowledge of the songs at the drum, and served many times as head singer for various celebrations. He traveled to other states with the drum group Bad Medicine, and had recently been singing and traveling with the group Bad Company, comprised mainly of sons, nephews, grandsons and brothers.
He was a fan of football and basketball, and was actively involved in a weekly youth and adult bowling league in El Reno with his children and grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Lonnie Pawnee; two sisters, Muriel Littlecalf and Lisa Pawnee; his uncle, Eugene White Thunder; his grandmother, Maude Harrison; and his big grandma, Nettie Black Kettle Star.
Survivors include his wife, of the home; a son, Jeremy and wife Alereta of Towaoc, Colo.; two daughters, Lee and husband Isaac of Arapaho and Anna Helen of Clinton; 12 grandchildren, John, Utin, Damien, Trinity, Cecilia, Ashley, AJ, Jaeda, Jaia, Jayden, Chloe Faith and Stryker; four brothers, Freeman Pawnee and wife Paula of El Reno, William Pawnee Jr. of Shawnee, Gregory Pawnee of El Reno and Tommy White Thunder and wife Sandra of Tecumseh; two sisters, Phyllis White Thunder of Kingfisher and Diane and husband Hawk of Kingfisher; six aunts, Muriel Pawnee of Shawnee, Wanda Pawnee of Concho, Reda Pawnee of El Reno, Esther Pawnee of El Reno, Angie Pawnee of El Reno and Janie Pawnee of El Reno; numerous adopted brothers and sisters; and his Lucky Star Casino family.
Services will be held under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Clinton Indian Cemetery.