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Walter Harry "Kay" Tinnin Graveside Services with full military rites for Walter Harry "Kay" Tinnin, 81 year old Zuni, New Mexico man who passed away peacefully Monday, August 31, 2009 at the Johnson County Health Care Center in Buffalo, Wyoming while staying with his son and daughter-in-law in Kaycee will be held Friday, September 4, 2009 at the Santa Fe National Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Visitation will be held Friday September 4, 2009 at the Berardinelli Funeral Home in Santa Fe from 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Memorial services will be held at the Christian Reform Church in Zuni, New Mexico on Saturday, September 5, 2009 at 11:00 am. The family requests donations to the New Mexico Senior Olympics in care of Adams Funeral Home, 351 North Adams Avenue, Buffalo, Wyoming 82834. Born December 10, 1927, in Durango, Colorado, Kay was the son of Vernon Basil Tinnin and Charline Leah Turner. Just a few years later Charline Turner Tinnin married Levin Lewis Charles and it was he who Kay called "Dad". Due to the depression the family moved often to find work living in Durango, Wolf Creek (Summitville Mine), Alamosa, Crestone, Bonanza, and Salida, all in Colorado. They also lived in Death Valley, CA. (Kean Wonder Mine), Farmington, NM., and Gallup, NM. In 1944 he quit high school, lied about his age, and joined the Navy. He had an uncle, Frank Turner, who was being held prisoner on Bataan and he told people when he left, he was going to help rescue Uncle Frank. He served his country in the Navy as a cook and spent time in Saipan and China and was discharged on 6 December 1948. He then served in the Naval Reserve until 31 Oct 1953. Finally, in Zuni during May 2004, he along with 39 other WWII veterans, were recognized for their service by being awarded honorary high school diplomas. On April 17, 1950 he married Dorothy Ellen Carrell in Alamosa, Colorado and then moved to Zuni, New Mexico where he worked in the Vanderwagen Brothers Trading Post (currently called Halona Plaza). From Jan 1951 through Apr 1956, four children were born. Later in his life, he successfully bought and sold Zuni jewelry. After two by-pass surgeries and one heart attack, he retired from the jewelry business and spent his time with his many friends doing a multitude of things from playing pool, helping nearby ranchers, skiing, participating in Senior Olympics and wellness walks as well as once being named the Grand Marshal of the Zuni Parade. He joked that he got that honor because he was the oldest mel'i-ca (white) in the village. He is survived by Dorothy Tinnin of Tucson, AZ; Lou Enote of Zuni, NM; one sister Charline Levin Husted(Robert) of Volcano, CA; one son John Tinnin(Jeanne) of Kaycee, WY; three daughters, Coleen Mailliard (Bryan) of Phoenix, AZ, Patti Smith (Rick) of Albuquerque, NM, Lee Ann Tinnin of Tucson, AZ; Jennifer Enote Becker (William) of Zuni, N.M. and Loesa Weebothee (Mike) of Zuni, N.M. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, Jerad Tinnin, Heather Tinnin Carrillo, Tanya Ortega De-Chamberlin, Shannon Shane Ortega, Janelle Ortega Garcia, Aaron Smith, Kay Lynn Smith Shinn, Kyle Smith, Carl Lee Craig, Christopher Glen Craig, and six great-grandchildren, Mary Grace Ortega, Maximillian Ortega, Clark Issac Oretga , Katharine Garcia-Ortega, Teresa Coleen Garcia-Ortega, Aiden Smith, Chloe Smith, Ashton Shinn and Shaylee A.Craig, as well as many friends and neighbors. He was preceded in death by his parents; step-dad; and one sister.
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