George Philip Moss YoungChief, 77, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, passed away on Saturday, April 15, 2023, surrounded by his family at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. A wake will take place at 5:00 pm on Monday, April 24, 2023, at Great Plains Hall in Arapahoe. At 10:00 pm, the wake will resume at his residence, 456 Left Hand Ditch Road, Arapahoe. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at Great Plains Hall. His burial will follow at the Jesse Miller Family Cemetery located at 456 Left Hand Ditch Road.
George was born to Edna Trumbull Moss and Clarence Moss on January 15, 1946, at the base of the Wind River Range in Ft. Washakie, Wyoming. He was one of four children. George was raised by his beloved Grandma, Veronica Moss. She instilled in him the ways of his Arapaho people and taught him how to fluently speak the Arapaho language. He believed in the power of his language and proudly spoke it until the very end.
George attended school at St. Stephen’s Mission, graduating from high school in 1965. Following graduation, George was certain that he would be drafted. Instead of anxiously awaiting what he believed to be the inevitable, he enlisted in the United States Army and completed his basic training. George then went on to fight in the Vietnam War; an experience that he rarely spoke about, as he believed that, “war was not a nice thing to talk about”.
Following his discharge from the Army, George enrolled at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. He graduated in May of 1976 with a BA in Sociology and Social Work. In May of 1997, George earned his Master’s of Social Work from the University of Utah. He was a proud member of the first all Native American administration at St. Stephen’s Indian School, serving as the principal. He later became the director of the Northern Arapaho Department of Family Services.
On June 2, 1970, George married his beloved “deary”, Eunice Caroline Miller at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church. Together, the two of them raised several children; Jesse, Skeeter, Shawn, Preston, Travis, Jason and Brittney. As life unfolded, George was proud to call Jesse Roman, Wylan Gambler, Kelsey Miller, Mike Redman, Lee Spoonhunter and Billy Dillon his sons. Over the course of their 52 year marriage, George and Eunice’s family grew to include numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of which he loved eternally. George managed to create and nurture individual bonds with every child, daughter-in-law and grandchild, alike.
Growing up, George enjoyed cowboying for the Arapaho Ranch, while he and his Dad scattered salt and bulls across the vast acreage. It was there that he learned how to move cows and ride horses. As he’d always say, he “learned from those old cowboys”. George found great joy and satisfaction in cowboying. So much so, that one day, he himself turned into, “one of them old cowboys”. He was proud of the rodeos that he and his family put on, and proud of every bull, cow and calf that wore his brand. He loved a good saddle horse. He did not believe in squeeze chutes. He did not believe in calf tables. He believed in tradition, like the old way of branding his cattle, and the Arapaho way to break his horses to ride.
Over the course of his life, George never put down his Arapaho ways. He enjoyed dancing in pow-wows and traveling to and from the events with his family. He was not interested in the competition, but was simply there to hear those songs and dance with the beat of the drum. He also enjoyed showcasing his wife’s beadwork, as he proudly sported three handmade outfits, all made by her. As one of the Northern Arapaho Tribe’s sacred Four Old Men, he always proudly walked with his Arapaho ways. He served as one of his tribe’s most sacred elders, as he served his Arapaho people faithfully. With time and wisdom, he only became more aligned with his beliefs and medicine. He proudly fasted well into his 70’s, having fasted in every lodge multiple times. George believed in meeting the Creator half-way. He’d proudly iterate that, “being an Arapaho isn’t easy”, but he knew it was worth it.
On April 15th, 2023, George surrendered to the Creator’s calling, as he took his last breath here on Earth. A closing breath that would not dare be the end of his legacy, nor waiver the impact he left on his family and his Arapaho people. Instead, it only marked the end of his journey here on Earth and initiated the most sacred inauguration of George’s new beginning, as he now walks hand in hand with the Creator.
He is survived by his wife, Eunice Caroline Moss; sons Jesse and wife Renee Moss, Skeeter and wife Nira YoungChief, Shawn and wife Chantell YoungChief, Preston and wife Jessica Moss, Travis Moss, Jason Moss, Jesse and wife Jessica Roman, Wylan and wife Cassie Gambler, Kelsey and wife Crystal Miller, Mike and wife Iva Redman, Lee Spoonhunter and Billy and wife Josie Dillon; daughters Brittney Moss and Helen Returns To War; numerous grandchildren; one great grandchild; brothers Leonard Moss Sr., Ivan Posey; sister Lou Oldman; nieces Annette Shakespeare, JoAnn Moss, Salome Gambler; nephews Ryan Gambler and Josh Miller; as well as his entire Northern Arapaho Tribe.
He is preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Edna Moss; sisters Marie Willow, Margaret Moss, Patricia Arthur, Penny Willow and Theresa White; aunt Suzanna Behan; uncle Patrick Behan; and his nieces Theresa Moss and Francine LoneBear; and his most treasured saddle horse, Dollar.
On-line condolences may be made at TheDavisFuneralHom.com
Services under the direction of Davis Funeral Home, Crematory, and Monuments.