Omar “Sonny” Marcus Dean III, 65, crossed over to the other side at his home surrounded by his loved ones on August 5, 2021. He was born May 29, 1956 in Hoopa to Omar M. Dean Jr. and Alfreda Colegrove Dean, and was the third of four siblings. There was a thunder and lightning storm the day he was born and his great grandfather Francis Colegrove nicknamed him “Thunder.” He was proud a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe.

Omar attended Hoopa Valley Elementary School, Hoopa Valley High School, and vocational school in Fresno, earning a certificate in automotive body and fender repair. Once on one of his many fishing adventures over Bald Hill to the coast with his family, he got into a fender bender with his Chevy Blazer, and before his next trip he used his trade school skills to repair his rig. Everyone was impressed with the quality and timeliness that he repaired his vehicle. He worked for Hoopa Tribe’s Public Utilities District for many years until he was disabled due to a back injury.

Omar lived in Los Angeles for a brief time with his family while his parents worked and attended barber and cosmetology school. He returned to Hoopa with his family in 1960 where he lived for the rest of his days, with the exception of the time attending school in Fresno.

Omar dearly loved his children, grandchildren, family and friends. He loved to go fishing and eeling and included his people in many of his adventures, from the Trinity River in Hoopa to the mouth of the Klamath River. If you knew him, you knew he loved a good eel roast and cooking them for his friends and family. Omar was always joking, so much – you never knew when he was serious. He had a knack for giving nicknames to the children in the family — Puddles, Squeeze Me and Little Hill were a few. He had a green thumb and grew his yearly summer garden and maintained a yard with beautiful well-kept grass. In the summer he could often be seen with his cutoff jean shorts and flip up sunglasses mowing his lawn. Even in his later years and even in ill health, Omar was a fun loving, adventurous soul making friends up and down the river and wherever his escapades took him.

Omar is survived by: his children Marcus Dean Rowe, Lodi, Amber Joyce (Dusty), Brooking, OR, Lonnie Dean, Hoopa, Al Kenny Dean (Ashley), Hoopa, Bradley Hostler (Haley), Sacramento, Sonny Jim Dean (Autum), Hoopa, and, step son Matthew Swanson (Sasup), Hoopa; grandchildren Na-res, Lorece, Omar V, Natayah, Summer, and Morning Star Dean, Julianna, Marcus II, and Nicholas Rowe, Richard, Kisan, and Chi-geri, and Gemma Dean, Tianna, Allanya, and Jerimiah Dean, Eli Hostler, Jacobi Alan Betts, Payton Dean, Sebastian, K-Lynn, Kyha, and Danille Swanson; stepfather Alex Pratt; and stepmother Kathy Baldy Dean; great uncle Mel Youckton; aunts Ilene Colegrove, Lila Gerstner, Charlene Colegrove, Vonice Colegrove; uncle Gary Colegrove Sr. (Kathy); siblings Deborah McConnell (Bob), Alfreda Jackson-Brown, step-sisters Kathleena Valdez, Allison Hescock (Sonny), and Arlyiss Pratt, step brother Daniel Pratt (Tawny); and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and special friends.

Omar is preceded in death by: son Nandayehi Omar Thunder Dean IV; grandson Running Bear Dean; parents Alfreda Colegrove Pratt and Omar M. Dean Jr; grandparents, Mabel and Alfred Colegrove Sr, Julianna and Omar M. Dean Sr; great grandparents Theresa and Joseph Capoeman; aunts Marilyn Colegrove, Sarah Reyes (Manuel), Olivia Cano (Peely), Elizabeth Hernandez; uncles Christopher “JB” Colegrove, Alfred N. “Riggie” Colegrove Jr, and Bryan “Stoney” Colegrove Sr, Lionel Colegrove, Joseph, Robert and Richard V. Dean; sister Rebecca J. Ferris; brother Richard V. Dean; nieces Stephanie Ferris, Julie Anna Ferris; great niece Baby Angel Ferris, great-great niece Gracelyn Billy,

A viewing will be Wednesday, August 11, 2021, 5 to 7 p.m., at Sanders Funeral Home, Eureka, and graveside services and internment will be Thursday, August 12, 2021, 11 a.m.. at the Colegrove Family Cemetery, Hoopa with a reception immediately following at Pookey’s Park. CDC Safety Protocols will be followed. Please wear a mask. Officiant will be George “Pordie” Blake, and Sanders Funeral Home in Eureka is in charge of arrangements.

Pall bearers: Marcus Dean Rowe, Lonnie Dean, Al Kenny, Bradley Hostler, Sonny Jim Dean, Matthew Swanson, Tsewenaldin Van Pelt, Robert and Stuart McConnell, Joe and Stanley Ferris Jr, Pride and Anthony Painter.

Honorary pall bearers are Alex Pratt, Gary Colegrove Jr. and Sr, Bob McConnell, Daniel Pratt, Rodney “Burgey” Ammon, Robert McGahuey, Cole Cross, Stanley Jones, Darren “Abner” Randall, Gus Bibancos, Oscar, Sylvester, and Douglas Brown. David Billy Jr, Dale Ferris, Agapito Perez, Avery Ferris, Eric Castaneda, Quentin Matilton, Micah Titus II, Darren Howerton, Isha-Kom McConnell, Kekyua and Kay-Cam Van Pelt, Bryan, Billy, Lonny, Nolan and Alphonso Colegrove, Rocky, Rosco and Diggs Colegrove, Greg Cano Jr and Sr, Richard V. Meyers, Tuekwe Hunsucker, Orion and Louis Cosce, Richie Dean, Jay Duran, Charles McCovey V, Omar Dean V, Richard P. Dean, Sebastian Swanson, Dave Drake Jr and Sr, Barry McCovey Jr, Kalvin and Leland Merlin, Whits Marshall and Kevin McConnell.

###