Catherine Hamel
courtesy photo
Catherine Hamel
RONAN — Catherine Rita Mathias Hamel was born on Dec. 28, 1935, to Agnes Oshanee Cullooyah and Joseph Mathias in Elmo. She passed away on Oct. 8, 2018, in Ronan.
She is the granddaughter of Chief Baptiste Mathias. Through her mother, she is a descendant of Chief Charlo’s band of Salish that were forcefully removed from the Bitterroot valley.
Cathy grew up spending much of her childhood years in Elmo. She is a survivor of the Ursaline schooling era and graduated from Mary Cliff High School in Spokane, Washington. To put herself through school, she waitressed, became a nanny and worked various jobs.
As a young lady she attended Carroll College in Helena, to pursue a degree in nursing. As part of earning her nursing degree she worked at Galen State Hospital, Boulder State Hospital and St. James nursing program in Butte.
Catherine met her husband and the love of her life, Wayne Hamel, at a stickgame in Dixon Agency and they wed on Nov. 23, 1957.
She worked in Missoula and Ronan Hospitals, as well as Kicking Horse Job Corps Center where she founded the first nursing program. In 1979 she left Job Corps and went into business. She later worked for CSKT and was instrumental in obtaining a clinic for her Kootenai people in Elmo.
Catherine retired from nursing in 1997 and remained active in family and community affairs. Gram enjoyed playing pinochle, family barbeques, traveling all over the Pacific Northwest and into Canada with her children, grandchildren and friends and was an avid keno and stickgame player. She kept up the family tradition of beading and sewing and also was an expert craftsman in a variety of mediums. She was active in cultural activities and led the younger generation in tradition. She traveled her aboriginal territory gathering roots and berries, along with other traditional necessities. She always had time to listen and advise all her family and friends.
Catherine impacted many lives through example and loving mentorship because she cared deeply for all Indian people on the reservation and advocated for their well-being. Cathy was bestowed an honorary degree from Salish Kootenai College in 2018.
She is preceded in death by her mother; her father; her husband; her son, Joseph Hamel; her sister, Annie Antiste; her brother, Donald Kenmille; her grandson, Gerald Hamel; and her great-grandson, Isiah Matt.
Catherine is survived by her daughters, Tammy Hamel, Gigi (Jr.) Caye; her son, Jimmy (Dawn) Hamel; her grandchildren, Tashina Cleland, Joe (Breanne) Caye, Ambrose Caye, Gabe Caye, Mayuk Caye, Jordan (Joey) Hamel, Mariah (Jerry) Hamel, Malia (Robert) Hamel; her brothers, Camille Mathias, Wilfred Kenmille, Eneas Kenmille and Laurence Kenmille; her sister, Margaret Friedlander. She is also survived by twelve great-grandchildren, three great great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at: www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.
