Obituary of Lena Landry

Lena (Davis) Landry, our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away on Tuesday, May 4, surrounded by her loving family. She was 91. Lena was born in Tacoma on April 22, 1919, the youngest of 14 children of William and Margaret "Maggie" (Meeker) Davis. Until her passing, Lena was the eldest living member of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians from the original 1929 membership enrollment. Lena attended St. George's Indian School in Milton, WA, and Chemawa Indian School in Salem, OR. She earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Tacoma Community College with a major in accounting. Lena worked for the Metropolitan Development Council for many years, followed by her long employment with the Puyallup Tribe. Lena married her first husband, Robert Daniels, in 1941. Robert passed away a few short years later, leaving Lena a widow with two young children. She later met and married Alexander John "Kootch" Landry, and together they had five children. Lena devoted her life to serving the Puyallup Tribe in many capacities. She served on the Tribal Council for five years, including a term as its chairwoman. At the time of her passing, Lena was still employed as the Chairwoman of the Tribe's Gaming Commission, and served on the Permanent Trust Board, the Election Committee, and the Elders Committee. Lena's passion always was for the advancement of the Tribe and its members. She was very proud of her Puyallup heritage and culture, and worked tirelessly to help secure health care and education for the Tribe in the days when none existed. She was a key player in the historic Puyallup Tribal Land Claims Settlement, and she was always a strong advocate for services and programs for tribal elders. Our mother and grandmother was an incredibly hard worker. Even in her 90th year and becoming more frail, she went in to her office every day that she was able and put in several hours of work at a time. It was common to see her on the phone, coordinating services or sharing information, while other people sat in her office and stood in her doorway waiting to talk with her. She amazed everyone with her energy and determination. Lena was definitely not 'all work', however. She had a great sense of fun and adventure, and delighted in spending time with her family. She especially enjoyed her relationships with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved to travel, to have lunch with her many friends, and to watch her favorite TV programs, which included Two-and-a-Half Men, the late shows with Jay Leno or David Letterman, and the Golden Girls. She also enjoyed watching car racing on television. With her always-sharp mind, Lena loved doing crossword puzzles. Crafts of any kind were also a favorite of Lena's. An animal-lover, Lena could not resist any dog or cat that needed a home, and always had a dog as her constant companion. Lena was preceded in death by her parents, William and Margaret "Maggie" (Meeker) Davis, her 13 brothers and sisters, her first husband Robert Daniels, her second husband Alexander John "Kootch" Landry, and two sons, Alexander and Gregory Landry. Lena is survived by her daughter Margaret (husband Lyle) Sharlow of Olympia; son Warren (wife Linda) Daniels of Fresno, CA; son George (wife Edie) Landry of Lodi, CA; Gabriel Landry of Tacoma; and daughter Andrea (husband Bill) Fugitt of Lakewood; 18 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. Viewing will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, May 10, at Piper-Morley-Mellinger Funeral Home, 5436 S. Puget Sound Ave., followed by Rosary at 7 p.m. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 11, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 424 S. 30th St. Following the service a procession will lead to Cushman Indian Cemetery for graveside services. A dinner will be served at the Puyallup Tribe's House of Respect (Elders Center).