Jean Rose Tapaha Pipkin
February 4, 1939 ~ October 22, 2009
Jean Rose Tapaha Pipkin passed away October 22, 2009 in Shiprock NM. Jean was born February 4, 1939 in Red Mesa, UT to Johnson and Mary Tapaha.
She went to school in Shiprock, NM, and Salem, OR. She came back to the reservation to work during the summers. After school, she worked in Las Angeles.
In the late 1950’s, she began working in Mesa Verde, and worked a few years as a nurse in Durango. In the early 1960’s, all of her family were converted to Christianity, and her family started the Red Mesa Full Gospel Church in Red Mesa, UT.
From 1965 to 1969, Jean worked at the Monument Valley Hospital, in Monument Valley, UT. She moved to Blanding in 1969 and worked in the nursing home in Blanding at nights. During the day, she worked for an air quality program through Brigham Young University, headquartered in Fort Defiance, UT.
Gerald Milton Pipkin began working at the nursing home and met her in 1972. Jean and Gerald were married March 23, 1973, in Blanding, UT. The couple’s one son Darrell, was born in 1974.
Jean worked at the nursing home until the mid 1990’s and also worked in home health part time. In the late 1990’s, she began working at Cedar Mesa Pottery in Blanding cleaning pottery. She worked there until December, 2008. Since January she has been living in Red Mesa and Blanding.
She is survived by husband Gerald Milton Pipkin of Blanding and Red Mesa, son Darrell and Sheila Pipkin of Red Mesa, and grandchildren Dillan Johnson Pipkin, Hunter Tapaha Pipkin, and Shila Pipkin, brothers Frank (Lula) Tapaha of Red Mesa, Johnny (Rosie) Tapaha of Kirtland, NM, sisters Rose (Clyde) Benally of Cortez, CO, Laretta (Mark) Broadway of Farmington NM, Pauline (Crystal) Rockwell of Aneth, UT, brother in law Jack Nacki Sr. and Lorene of Red Mesa, and numerous nieces and nephews. Melissa Mustache was like a daughter to Jean, and had two children, a boy and girl.
Jean was a grandmother and great grandma.
Interment was at the Sunrise Cemetery in Red Mesa.
Card of thanks
Thank you from Gerald Milton Pipkin, Darrell & Sheila Pipkin and family, Frank and Lula Tapaha and family, Johnny and Rose Tapaha and family, Clyde and Rose Benally and family, Mark and Loretta Broadway and family, Jack Nacki Sr. and Lorene and family, Pauline and Crystal Rockwell and family, and all her nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
You can donate money to help with the funeral cost at the San Juan Credit Union in Blanding, Utah, and Monticello.