Anselm Begay, Sr.

Anselm Begay, Sr. died Monday afternoon, April 1, 2013 at the IHS Hospital in Whiteriver, Navajo County, Arizona. He was 80 years old. Anselm was born on July 10, 1932 in Lower Greasewood, Apache County, Arizona to his parents, the late Hosteen and Nazbah Bahn. Anselm was a simple man who lived a richly abundant life. He was the beloved patriarch of a very large, loving and dynamic family and counted his wife and children as his richest blessings. He was an example of goodness and true Christian living to everyone whom has had the privilege to know him. He lived 36 years in the heart of Show Low and was well-known by many in the community. He was a longtime member of Show Low's 2nd Ward of the LDS Church and served in many church callings over the years. He and his wife also served as temple workers in The Snowflake Temple and loved the peacefulness of that holy edifice. On February 7, 1953, Anselm married his true love, the former Marcelina Cody, in Williams, Arizona. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was also in early 1953 that Anselm began a long and successful career in the lumber industry when he began working with the Reidhead Lumber Mill in Show Low, Arizona. Later that year he began his long association with Southwest Forest Industries in McNary, Arizona. During his 25-plus years at the McNary operation, Anselm advanced from lumber puller at the planer to rough green and dry chain grader and, in 1959, he received his first grading certificate. He continued gaining experience as a lumber checker and tallyman regrading 'Shop and Moulding' on the carline. In 1970, Anselm became the head grader, a position he held until 1976 when he became Quality Control Supervisor. In 1979, after the McNary operation closed, Anselm began working for Kaibab Forest Industries and, later that year, for Evergreen Lumber Company. He graded 5/4 and thicker and taught other graders at their mills in Globe, Snowflake, Heber and Williams, Arizona. In 1983, he began working at the Southwest Forest Industries at the Eagar, Arizona plant, which is now Stone Forest Industries. He again advanced from lumber grader to head grader and, in 1986, to his final position as Quality Control Supervisor. Anselm had great knowledge of all milling functions including: sawmill manufacturing, drying of lumber, as well as surfacing, grading and shipping the final product. Because of his skilled prowess in the lumber industry, Anselm was one of two lumberman to receive the "Master Lumberman Award" in a grand ceremony on March 15, 1991 in San Francisco, California. That was truly an achievement his whole family was proud of for the 23 years since. Anselm Begay, Sr. is survived by his wife of 60 years, Marcelina Begay of Seven Mile, Arizona; 5 children: La Priel Begay of Blanding, Utah, Lena Marsha Rodriguez of St. Petersburg, Florida, Rosy Ann Parra of Gilbert, Arizona, Anselm "Sonny" Begay, Jr. of Seven Mile, Arizona, Andy Arnold Begay of Mesa, Arizona; 2 sisters: Stella (John) Willie of Gallup, New Mexico, Mabel (Terry) Deitz of Lakeside, Arizona; 20 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren. Along with his parents, Anselm was preceded in death by his brother, Curt Begay. The public visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Thursday, April 4, 2013 at Owens Livingston Mortuary - White Mountain Chapel, 320 N. 9th Street in Show Low, Arizona. The funeral service will begin 10:00 A.M., Friday, April 5, 2013 at the Downtown Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 300 N. 11th Street in Show Low, Arizona where addition visitation will begin 1 hour prior. The concluding service and interment will follow at the Carrizo Creek Cemetery.