Inductees 2008

Born in the Chickasaw homeland in 1810, Winchester Colbert was the youngest member of the Levi Colbert family that included 12 brothers and 8 sisters. Winchester was fluent in Chickasaw, Choctaw and English. Since he could read and write these languages, he was a great candidate for diplomacy.

Born in Duncan, Oklahoma, on October 2, 1946, to parents Fred L. and Marjean Kimberlin McCarter, Ray often fended for himself and did what he could to provide for a younger brother. Through the encouragement of his teachers and other community leaders, Ray began to develop leadership skills that would serve him later in life.

Born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, on September 10, 1910, to Guy Keel, Chickasaw Roll No. 1866, and Lula Potts Keel, Chickasaw Roll No. 1867, Juanita was the 10th of 12 children. At birth, her father gave her the Chickasaw name of “Foshi,” which she always cherished. She was a great-great grandchild of Cyrus Harris, the first Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, and a great-grandchild of Edmund Pickens, first elected Chief of the Chickasaw Nation.

Gene Underwood was born on April 5, 1934, near Tishomingo, Oklahoma, to parents Joe and Mary Underwood. After graduating from Russett High School, he went on to attend Haskell Institute in Lawrence, KS.