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June Ezold |
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June Ezold |
June Ezold, Chairperson Emeritus of the Brothertown Indian Nation and former Tribal Chairperson of the Brothertown Indian Nation, died of pneumonia after a prolonged battle with cancer on January 14th at the Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff, Wisconsin. She was 84 years old.
Mrs. Ezold was born June Caroline Ottery at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to Willis Dee Ottery and Irene Sampson Ottery and began her education in the unheated, one-room schoolhouse across the road from her parent’s farm. One of just three children, she was nonetheless surrounded by an enormous extended family as her grandfather had sired 16 children, 15 of whom survived. His grandchildren, Mrs. Ezold’s cousins, went in and out of each other’s houses, as if they were their own, their entire lives.
A hard worker on her parent’s farm and off, Mrs. Ezold moved to Florida while still in school to work for friends of her parents who were starting a restaurant in that state. After attending schools in both states, she was graduated from Fond du Lac Senior High. Following WWII, she returned permanently to Wisconsin where one of her brother’s introduced her to Carl Ezold, her future husband. After marrying, they settled in Milwaukee, where she held a number of jobs, eventually taking a position with Newspapers, Inc. in the Milwaukee Journal Advertising Department where she worked for over 20 years.
While working full-time and raising two children in Milwaukee, Mrs. Ezold became very involved in the community, as a member of the League of Women Voters, as Humboldt Park Association Chairman, in several officer capacities of the P.T.A., and as Secretary of the Milwaukee County P.T.A. She was also a Boy Scout Den Mother, a Girl Scout Leader, and an officer in the Girl Scouts at the state and local level for many years.
Following her retirement from the Milwaukee Journal, Mrs. Ezold increased the amount of time she devoted to the Brothertown Indian Tribe and when she and her husband moved to Woodruff, Wisconsin, work with the Brothertowns became her primary vocation. As the tribe re-organized itself in the late 70’s,Mrs. Ezold took an increasing amount of responsibility, which resulted in her being elected Tribal Chairperson in 1982, a position she held until 2004, making her one of the longest-tenured leaders of the tribe. During her 22-year term, she was a tireless, driving force behind the Brothertown’s pursuit of and application for Federal Acknowledgement, the 67th tribe to do so. Sadly, Mrs. Ezold did not live to see tribe recognized by the government: the tribe’s application, submitted in 1996, is just now being reviewed.
Mrs. Ezold is survived by her two children, Carl Ezold of Van Nuys, California and Pamela Gibson of Berkley, Michigan; three grandchildren, Timothy, Suzy, and David Gibson; two brothers, James Ottery of Waukegan, Illinois and Willis Ottery of Weare, New Hampshire; and 15 first cousins who were like brothers and sisters to her.
A memorial service will be held at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Minocqua, Wisconsin on Friday at 11:00 AM with a luncheon following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mrs. Ezold’s memory to the Brothertown Indian Nation, Inc., 82 S. Macy Street, PO Box 2206, Fond du Lac WI 54936-2206 or to the American Cancer Society, 9035 17th Ave, *Suite B, Wausau, WI, 54401.
