Honoring Joseph Komok: Support His Final Journey

As some of you know, we have lost our friend and family member, Joseph Komok. Joe was a loving member of our community. His passion and medicine was ceremony using the sweat lodges. He loved to share the experience and teachings with anyone who was interested. Other interests included drum making, weaving with cedar to make hats, beading and carving and again teaching those skills to others.

Joe overcame much adversity and injustice in his life. Many who went through situations similar to his did not survive. His personal strength and ceremonial practices got him to a place where he could heal. Part of that healing was the love he found with Katleen Colaert of Belgium. Their story is the kind that movies are made of. Joe is an Inupiaq Native from the Native Village of Mary's Igloo near Teller, Alaska. Joe would recount stories from his childhood of riding dog sleds and using animal skins for clothes. He had fond memories of the days before his family moved to Nome. With the influence of the new surroundings, his life from that time forward was changed. He found himself taken from his father's loving care and put into the foster system. The years from then until he was about 50 were fraught with adversity including 25 years in the federal penitentary system where he saw behavior that no one would want to remember. The passing of the Native American Religious Freedom Act of 1978 may have saved his life during that time. That is where he learned his spiritual ways.

Recently, Joe was suffering with heart disease and was so looking forward to having surgery so that again he could heal and live longer to spend more time with Katleen and his family. Unfortunately, his time came sooner that many of us hoped.

Joe is survived by his son, Joseph Alokie Luther Komok, his daughter, Rosemarie Martinez (Troy.Clawson) and six grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents and all four of his siblings.

We want to give Joe the burial and funeral he deserves and are setting up this fund to make that happen. The services will be on Saturday, July 20, 2pm at 804 State Avenue in Marysville at Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home. Prayers up for Joe and his family.