Ella Mae Ward

Ella Mae Ward, of Anderson, passed away on March 15, 2019, at the age of 82. Ella Mae was born July 20, 1936 in Big Bend, California, one of three children of Idelle Belle Curtis Ward and Nathan Ward.

Ella Mae was a big hearted and loving person. As a young woman she cared for her mother and grandfather when their health and age prevented them from caring for themselves. When she had a family of her own, she took primary responsibility for raising six children, while working as a cook and cafeteria worker, a home health aid and house cleaner. After her children were grown, she moved to Humboldt County to work as a nanny and care provider and ended up becoming an important part of the Risling and Brooks family.

Ella Mae was Pit River, Wintu, and Wilaki Indian and a proud member of the Pit River Tribe in Burney, California. She actively participated in Indian community events and Northwest tribal ceremonies, especially those of her Hoopa and Karuk "family". She especially enjoyed traveling to the National Congress of American Indians in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and attending the Brushdance at Panumnik, Humboldt County with the Brooks/Risling family.

Ella Mae liked to be active and she always jumped in to help. She had a lively sense of humor, loved to laugh, and enjoyed attending tribal community events and visiting with friends and family. She participated in TOP's, senior exercise classes, and the LIFE Center in Lake Shasta City. She loved to cook and in her later years enjoyed helping her son Nathan in his restaurants. Throughout her life she was known for her baking skill, especially her homemade cinnamon rolls, bread, and buns.

Ella Mae is survived by her children Alvin, Nathan, Tillie, and Patricia Scholfield; her grandchildren Douglas, Dustin, Derrick, Sabrina, Manning, Andrea, Sky Blue, Calvin, Evonne, Vanessa, Elaine, Justin, Casey, Carlton, Inez, Tillie, Dentalia, and numerous great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her family and her “second family”, Mary Jane Risling and Jon Brooks and "her babies", Novie, Viola (Chummy), and Scott Brooks.

She was predeceased by her parents, her sons Vernon and Edward Scholfield, her grandsons Lance Scholfield, Joseph Scholfield, and Edward Scholfield Jr., her sister Ruth Ward, her Brother Vernon Ward, and her dear friends Wilma Risling and Marilyn Berkey.

A viewing will be held on Saturday, March, 23rd at McDonald’s Chapel, from 9:00am to 7:00pm.

A celebration of life will be held at Redding Rancheria Community Center on Monday, March, 25th at 3:00pm.