Tribal Chairperson Beverly J. Hunter, age 75, of Table Mountain Rancheria, Friant, California passed away on Saturday, September 30, 2023. Chairperson Hunter also served her Tribe for many years as Tribal Vice Chairperson, Chairperson of the Table Mountain Rancheria Tribal Gaming Commission, Table Mountain Rancheria Pow-Wow Committee and Table Mountain Rancheria Enrollment Committee.
She served the greater Indian Community of Central California for decades as board member of the California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. (CRIHB), and Board Chair for the CRIHB Traditional Indian Health Committee. She founded and chaired the Phil D. Hunter and Warren Lee Jones Scholarship Fund since 2012. She also served in several leadership capacities including as treasurer of the California Rural Indian Health Board and chair of the California Indian Legal Services, Title IV Parent Committee, American Indian Health Women Association and Central Valley Indian Health, where she has been intricately involved since its beginning.
She became the founding Chairperson for the Central California Yokuts NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Reparation Act) Coalition in 2012, serving alongside Tribal leadership from Table Mountain Rancheria, Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, Santa Rosa Indian Community of the Santa Rosa Rancheria, California, Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation and the Tejon Indian Tribe, successfully advocating for the return and reburial of ancestors and funerary objects held at UC Berkeley and the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.
Beverly was preceded in death by her parents Warren Lee Jones and Rosie Jones, Husband Phil D. Hunter, sister Loretta Ann Jones, brothers Myron Jones, Lyle Jones and Matthew Jones, and is survived by sons Craig Martinez and his daughter Chanel Marinez, Mark Martinez, sisters Charlene Jones, Bernadine Jones, Juanita Jones and brother Lonnie Jones. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews and family.
Visitation for Beverly will be held Thursday, October 19, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns and Blair Funeral Home, 836 E Nees Ave., Fresno California 93720. A funeral service will occur Friday, October 20, 2023 at 10:00 AM. 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno California 93720. A graveside service will occur Friday, October 20, 2023 at Table Mountain Rancheria Cemetery, 23726 Sky Harbour Road, Friant, California, 93626.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Hunter family.
