Will Bert Ortega

Will B. Ortega Sr. was born June 2, 1943 at home in Yuma, AZ. He went to O.L. Carlisle School in Somerton, AZ. He attended both Kofa and Yuma High Schools. While in high school, Will played varsity basketball and football. In 1961, he was a player for the Kofa High Football team where they won the State Championship. In 2019, Will was inducted into the Inaugural Hall of Fame Class for Kofa High as a member of the football team.

He pursued his artistic talents and attended the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Will created many art pieces and painted desert landscapes, mixed media and cultural adaptations. He wrote many poems, speeches, sermons and songs. Dad loved music and played the guitar and harmonica.

Will was drafted into the U.S. Army where he was Sergeant and served in the Vietnam War and was later stationed in Germany. After the War, he married Marie Faye Coyote in 1971. He attended Arizona State University in Tempe; Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California and the Nazarene Indian Bible College in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was ordained as a Reverend. Will served the Southwest Indian District as the District Secretary.

Will and his wife Faye were the pastors at 3 different churches during the 70’s and into the 90’s. The churches were located at the Pozas De Arvisu in San Luis, Sonora, Mexico in ministry with the Cucupa Indigenous people; the Lehi Nazarene Church in Lehi, Arizona and the Cocopah Somerton Nazarene Church in Somerton.

Will believed in service to his community and other Native American communities. He was an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Counselor in Lehi, Arizona with the Salt River Pima Community. He taught cultural studies at Kumeyaay Community College on the Sycuan Indian Reservation in El Cajon, California. He worked for the Cocopah Indian Tribe as a Head Start Director and served on the Cocopah Tribal Council from 1994-1996. As a Council member, he supported Indian Gaming and Water rights. He was an avid voter in every federal, state and Tribal election.

Will was involved in many community groups including the CERT (Cocopah Emergency Rescue Team). He was a co-coordinator for the Cocopah runners who participated in the Peace & Dignity Journey’s beginning in 1992. This was a spiritual journey that gathered all indigenous people to Mexico City from North and South America. Will enjoyed traveling to different Native communities to play peon and won several tournaments with his team mates.

Will was involved in community sports including softball, basketball, and volleyball all throughout his years including Senior Games. He was a skydiver who accumulated over 250 jumps. One of his favorite pastimes was to attend local rivalry games, especially Yuma verses Kofa High. He loved western shows like Gunsmoke, modern movies, and watching TV games of the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks. He enjoyed talking and visiting with his friends that he made during his lifetime.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bessie White and Francisco Ortega. His brothers, Paul Ortega, Leroy Thompson, Boyd Barley, and his wife Marie Faye Ortega.

Survived by his sister Fay Fitzgerald; his children Wenonah, Wynnie, Wendy, Will Jr. and Wilana; his grandchildren Justin and Yvette Thomas; Philbert III and Penelope Miller and Kenai Perez; his in-laws Ray and June Stillings; the White family; Coyote family and Cañedo family. He leaves behind many aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins who will miss him dearly.

Honorary pallbearers include Ray Stillings, Neil White, Lester and Gary White, Marlowe Barley, Dr. Julian Gunn, Jason San Diego, Kalim Smith, Irwin Twist, Colin Soto, Fred Espinoza, Frank Vasquez, Harold Coyote, Gordon Coyote Jr., Carlos Pelayo, Samuel Begay and Philbrick Emerson.

A viewing and church service will be held on Monday, April 24, 2023 from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm at the Funeraria Del Angel Mortuary, 795 W. 28th St. in Yuma. With Traditional Rites to follow from 5:00 pm and ending at 5:00 am Tuesday April 25, 2023 at the East Cocopah Cry House 17503 Salt Cedar Dr. in Somerton, AZ.

The Ortega family would like to thank everyone who has helped with Dad’s final journey home.