Joe Stuntz and Leonard Peltier
Today is the 81st birthday of Leonard Peltier.
On June 26, 1975, FBI Agents Jack Coler and Ronald
Williams were murdered by Leonard Peltier at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in
South Dakota.
In 1977, Peltier was found guilty of first-degree murder
and sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.
https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/resmurs-case-reservation-murders
Leonard Peltier (born September 12,
1944, Grand
Forks, North
Dakota, U.S.) is a Native American (mostly Ojibwa) activist who, after
becoming one of the best-known indigenous rights
activists in North
America, was convicted in 1977 of having murdered two Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents. His case became a cause célèbre
after the irregularities in his extradition and
trial came to light, and his supporters consider him a political prisoner.
His supporters spent decades lobbying for parole or
presidential clemency,
and Peltier’s life sentence was commuted by
Pres. Joe Biden in
January 2025. Peltier was released from prison the following month.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonard-Peltier
I suggest reading – the side of the story presented by supporters
of Leonard Peltier – such as at:
- From
this source: On June 26, 1975 two FBI agents in unmarked cars followed a
pick-up truck onto the Jumping Bull ranch. The families immediately became
alarmed and feared an attack. Shots were heard and a shoot-out erupted.
More than 150 agents, GOONS, and law enforcement surrounded the ranch.
- When
the shoot-out ended the two FBI agents and one Native American lay dead.
The agents were injured in the shoot-out and were then shot at close
range. The Native American, Joseph Stuntz, was shot in the head by a
sniper’s bullet. Mr. Stuntz’s death has never been investigated, nor has
anyone ever been charged in connection with his death.
On this day of significance to
those who care about Native People in the United States and the genocide that
was done in our name related to them, I wish to note it related to two individuals:
1.
A white man, who apparently is still alive in
his 90’s or beyond, and his adoptive son a Native American:
2.
Joe (Joseph) Stuntz – who was killed in 1975, at
the age of 23 .
This story – parallels – the Advantage that we, upper-middle
class white men have, in contrast to Native People (men) such as Leonard Peltier
and Joe Stuntz.
https://www.wlhsmemorial.org/2012/08/joe-stuntz.html
Incident at Oglala is
a 1992 American documentary film directed by Michael
Apted and narrated by Robert
Redford. The film documents the deaths of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, Jack R. Coler and Ronald A. Williams,
on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on
June 26, 1975. Also killed in the multiple fire was Native American Joe Stuntz,
a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), whose
death prompted no legal action.
It examines the legal case
surrounding the subsequent trials of Robert
Robideau and Dino Butler, and later the separate trial of Leonard
Peltier, who had to be extradited from Canada. Robideau and Butler were
acquitted at their trial, but Peltier was convicted of murder in 1977.
(Peltier's supporters, including the International Indian Treaty Council,
maintain that he is innocent of the crimes.) The film also discusses tribal
chairman Dick Wilson.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incident_at_Oglala
Joe Stuntz – briefly attended West
Lafayette (IN) high school, my alma mater, and was in my brother’s class (Class
of 1970). His (adoptive) father: “Pete
Stuntz” – Edgar C. Stuntz and he had a difficult relationship! It seems clear that his Native Ancestry and
his insistence upon how important it was, contributed to the challenges between
the two.
Adoptive
Grandfather – below:
***Edgar "Ed" Fuller
Stuntz, 93, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, died January 25, 1995, at St. Mary's Home
For The Aged in Manitowoc, from complications of Alzheimer's Disease.
Born March 23, 1901, in Marshalltown, Iowa, he was the son of Harley Loraine
and Helen Grace (Fuller) Stuntz. His marriage was on June 28, 1925, in
Frankfort, to Jeanne Decamp Cheadle, who preceded him in death March 19,1980.
After graduation from Manual High School in Peoria, Illinois, he briefly
attended the University of Chicago and Iowa State College.
In his young adult years, Stuntz was a vaudeville theater usher, lifeguard and
swimming instructor, motorcycle policeman, and tugboat engineer. Inspired by
his childhood years in Panama during the Panama Canal construction (his father
was auditor of the Panama Canal Railroad), Stuntz, in his 20's, developed
skills in construction management. He became superintendent of major
construction projects in the 1920's and 1930's, including railroad roundhouses,
bridges, and dams in five states. He went into business for himself in 1939 in
Indiana and built numerous small highway bridges.
Rejected by the Seabees because of his age in World War II, he spent the war
years doing construction projects at the Army's Camp Atterbury in southern
Indiana. Settling in Delphi after the war, Stuntz used his entrepreneurial
skills to develop a limestone quarry and a company to sell, service, and
operate farm implements and heavy equipment.
Other activities included dynamite and flood control operations, beef cattle
feeding operation, and land reclamation and management. He served one term on
the Delphi City Council in the 1950's.
After he sold his business in 1973, he devoted his energies to his investments,
philanthropic interests and genealogy. His health declined in recent years so
he moved to Felician Retirement Village in Manitowoc in 1992.
Surviving are his son, Dr. Edgar C. Stuntz of Manitowoc; a grandson; a sister,
Hazel Pape of Glendale, California. Five brothers and four sisters preceded him
in death.
A memorial service will be held Saturday at the chapel of St. Mary's Home For
The Aged, after which his ashes will be interred in Rossville Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Home For The Aged or to Felician Village.
***Delphi Carroll County Comet February 1, 1995.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95631084/edgar-fuller-stuntz
Adoptive
Father: Below
Edgar C. Stuntz, M.D. is a
Provisional Teaching Member, a psychiatrist in private practice, Director of
the Wabash Valley TA Seminar, and Director of the Halcyon Institute, Inc., 2500
Ferry St., Lafayette, Indiana, 47904.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/036215377300300215
--
Judie was blessed in her second
marriage to Edgar C. “Pete” Stuntz on April 24, 1976
Tom
Bozza just became the Edgar C. Stuntz Distinguished
Professor of Neuroscience. The Dean writes, “Your appointment to this
professorship acknowledges your many accomplishments as a
scholar, teacher, and citizen of the University.”
https://neurobiology.northwestern.edu/about/news/2023-2024/named-professorships.html
--
Pete Stuntz and Lauryn Hibbard distributed Little Golden
Books of bible stories to Family Night at Hope Community Church in May… (USA-Today, June 23, 2016)
--
https://www.facebook.com/pete.stuntz
Volunteer at Felician
Village, Former Psychiatrist at Lafayette Indiana and Manitowoc
Wisconsin, Former Psychiatrist at U.S. Army Medical Corps, Went to Frankfort
Senior High School, Indiana, Studied at Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry, Studied at Northwestern University (Medical
School), Studied at Wabash College, Lives in Manitowoc,
Wisconsin
--
The Link that follows is for (another)
Native individual who was adopted by Edgar C. (Pete) Stuntz and his wife. She died in 2014 at the age of 56. I am guessing that she was not estranged
from her adoptive father, though I’m not sure of this.
https://www.springervoorhisdraper.com/obituaries/yvette-a-woosley
--
Virgil Thomas Skwanqhqn Stuntz - Birth - 24 Feb 1956
Spokane, Spokane County,
Washington, USA
Death 2 Apr 1996
(aged 40) Plains, Sanders County,
Montana, USA
Burial Little
Family Cemetery Oglala, Oglala
Lakota County, South Dakota, USA
Memorial ID 285221544 · View
Source
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/285221544/virgil-thomas-stuntz
--
Since 2012 – I have built up and
maintained a website memorializing deceased alumni of West Lafayette,
Indiana. I include others who attended,
but did not graduate. The site is at:
I want to note
several points, which I hope would be obvious to an observant reader:
1.
Joe – lived to 23, sister – lived to 56 –
brother Virgil lived to 40 – Native People
2.
Leonard Peltier – clearly – spending 50 years
imprisoned – unjust – if not out-right –
“Criminal”
Approximately six years ago –
Jericho Stuntz - the grandson of Joe Stuntz
contacted me, seeking information about his Family. Ironically while we were talking on the
telephone, his (adoptive) great-grandfather – noted above – called me and I talked
with him.
Pete Stuntz – did not know of his
great-grandson. He chose – NOT – to talk
with Jericho then. Pete Stuntz – was a
psychiatrist. Why did he not want to
talk with his own great-grandson?
Pete Stuntz – when we talked –
had a deceased adoptive son – who would have been 67-68 years old if he was
living when we talked. He has lived a
Long life!
I had a phone number for Jericho
Stuntz. I called it this morning and
got a voicemail message from a different individual. I googled Jericho Stuntz, found a useful
phone number, called it, the woman who answered the phone knew Jericho Stuntz,
agreed to call him and give him my phone number and he called me several
minutes later.
We had a Great phone call! Jericho is a wonderful young man- who cares
about – “humanity” and his own family!
Jericho – is Native American!
I am a white – male – who grew up
in West Lafayette, Indiana – a very Advantaged Community.
A few classmates who knew Joe
Stuntz – care about him and his heritage!
Most of us, however, fellow white
men and women, have never heard of Joe – and regardless don’t really care about
him or – much more that deeply matters to me!
I apologize for being so harsh in my words, but it is true!
Leonard Peltier – I hope you have
happiness – and decent healthcare and live a long lifetime!
Jericho – You Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Stuntz – I’m sorry – crying now
– thinking of the Price you and Your People Paid and continue to pay! We, white people, should be – moving to a
state or two – that you might deed to us and we should be a Native Country!
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