And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Obituary: Tillie Hardwick helped preserve Indian reservations by challenging Congress By M.S. Enkoji and Nancy Weaver Teichert Bee Staff Writers (Published July 18, 1999) http://www.sacbee.com/news/news/local10.html Tillie Hardwick, a Pomo Indian who successfully challenged an act of Congress to preserve her status as an American Indian and her homesite as tribal ground, died Thursday from lung cancer at her home in Ukiah, near the small reservation where she spent most of her life. She was 74. "She had a lot of people call her and tell her thank you for having brought the case in the first place," said her granddaughter, RaquelleMyers. "She was very proud of it." Mrs. Hardwick was living in Mendocino County on the Pinoleville Rancheria, a small reservation, when Congress passed a law in 1958 to convert California's small reservations into private land, essentially deeding them back to tribe members who would become landowners. The same law set aside money to improve the land first with sewers, running water, streets and fire hydrants, but discontinued other programs and services. California Indian Legal Services sued the federal government on behalf of Mrs. Hardwick in 1979, claiming it didn't make clear that tribe members could decline the deeds, and that the public improvements fell short of government promises. Myers said the tribal government still has programs operating for the benefit of tribal members because of her legal victory. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a 1983 U.S. District Court decision preserving the status of 17 of the small reservations, including Pinoleville, and the status of the 700 residents. Myers said seven other Indian tribes followed her grandmother's lead and won their own legal challenges because her case had been won. "She was very happy about having been in that lawsuit, but her biggest accomplishments were her children and grandchildren," Myers said. "Her children have gone on to accomplish a lot of things. She's just always been there for everybody. She was very strong-willed." Born Aug. 1, 1924, she became a homemaker who raised her own children and many grandchildren, nephews and nieces. She is survived by sons Joe Myers of Petaluma, and Larry Myers of Sacramento; a daughter, Joyce Britton, of Willits; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Robert Hopper of Willits. A rosary will be said at 7 p.m. todayat her home at 670 Orr Springs Road. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Pinoleville Reservation Tribal Cemetery. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "My heart is moved by all I cannot save, so much has been lost.... so much has been destroyed. I must cast my lot with those who, age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power... reconstitute the world."
