Madeline Setah, wife of the late William Setah of Nemiah Valley, passed away on January 30, 2004 after being in failing health for some time.
She suffered from diabetes and was on kidney dialysis.
Madeline was born on February 21, 1930 to Sammy Bulyon and wife Annie (Elkins), well respected people in Nemiah.
Madeline lived in the valley all her life.
She had four brothers, Eugine, the late Jimmy, Francis, and the late Danny.
She also had seven sisters, Helena Myers, Mabel Soloman, Theresa Billy, Cecile Lulua, Eliza Quilt (deceased), Eileen William; and Lucy Lulua.
Madeline married William Setah of Nemiah at Anaham on June 3, 1946, a marriage arranged by her mother.
They had 12 children: five sons, Willard and Raymond (both deceased), Simon, Davis, and Hank. They also had seven daughters, Mary William; Selina Myers, Susie Lulua, Illa Setah, Inez Setah, Kitty Setah (now deceased) and Annie William.
Madeline and William were a hard working couple.
Using wagons and sleighs, they ranched in Nemiah Valley the old way. With saddle and pack horses they hunted and guided in the mountains, where Madeline loved to pick berries and dig wild potatoes.
At home, they dried meat and fish and raised a big garden which was stored for winter.
An industrious woman, Madeline also tanned hides, made baskets, and sewed gloves and moccasins. She was talented in training horses, and many tales are told of her daring adventures.
As a child, she and her sister, Theresa, would look after the ranch while their parents drove beef cattle to Stoney to be taken to market.
Along with other ranch work, the girls had to haul in wood and cut it up with a crosscut saw -- tasks that prepared Madeline for working in later years beside her husband and putting up hay by herself when William was away guiding.
Though very ill, Madeline made one last trip to Red Mountain this past summer with her son Hank and daughter Selina and husband Lloyd Myers to hunt deer and pick medicine.
After the service everyone gathered for a feast at the Setah home at Lihiz Bay.