Funeral services for Vivian Teton Armajo, 92, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, February 29, 2024 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. Interment will follow at Sacajawea Cemetery. A Wake will be, Wednesday evening, February 28, 2024 at the Boys and Girls Club of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe in Fort Washakie, WY.
Mrs. Armajo passed away on Sunday, February 25, 2024 at her home in Fort Washakie, Wyoming.
Vivian was born on January 16, 1932, daughter of Charles “Charlie” and Marie (Washakie) Teton in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. She grew up in the Fort Washakie area while attending the Shoshone Episcopal Mission Boarding School with Reverend Roberts. Her ninth grade through her senior year was spent studying at the Flandreau Indian Boarding School.
Most of Vivian’s life was spent living on the Wind River Indian Reservation, with the exception of the years 1968 through 1986 when she lived near the Fort Hall Reservation of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe in Pocatello, Idaho.
Throughout her life, Vivian worked as a potato truck driver as well as in a nursing home caring for elders. The remainder of her life was joyfully spent raising her family including her children and grandchildren.
Vivian was married to Thomas Armajo, Sr., Frank Goings, Steven Pongah and Dexter Brantzeg.
Sun Dance has always been a part of Vivian's life. Early in life she helped Grandmother Josie Trehero Washakie who traveled with her brother John Trehero to do the Sun Dance Ceremony for the Crow Tribe in Montana, as well as in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. Later in life, Vivian became a Sun Dancer who participated in ceremonies in Idaho, Montana, and Nevada. She was also a Traditional Dancer beginning at a young age, her Grandmother Josie made all her dresses, including her Elk Teeth Buckskin dresses. One time Vivian swam in her buckskin dress crossing the Little Wind River, and then hid it wet under a metal wash tub hoping grandma wouldn't find it. Vivian was bilingual, and spoke her Shoshone Language all her life, she didn't learn English until the age of 5 in 1937. She continued to promote her language and taught classes for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe at the Shoshone Tribal Cultural Center. Most recently in January 2022, Vivian helped with the "rapid word collection" for an online dictionary of more than 4,000 Shoshone words through the Language Conservancy Program.
Mrs. Armajo was very active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Survivors include her children, Judy Bronco, Thomas Armajo, Jr., Joyce Anthony, Ruth Bragg, John Armajo, Fred Armajo, Mary Armajo, Esther Pongah, Rebecca Armajo, Darwin Armajo and Jody Pongah; siblings, Augustine Teton and Zedora Teton (Alan) Enos; numerous grand, great grand and great, great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; Grandma Josie Washakie, who also raised her; her three sons, Harold Armajo, Kenneth Goings and Charlie Armajo, Sr.; siblings, Edwin Teton, Burdick Teton, Larson Teton, Wilford Teton, Norma Faye Teton Ynostrosa, and Manuel Chavez.
On-line condolences may be made at TheDavisFuneralHome.com
Services are under the direction of Davis Funeral Home, Crematory, and Monuments.