Geraldine Pinkham Miller

Geraldine Pinkham Miller “Kisumxay” was born March 5, 1936 in Toppenish, WA and raised in Tacoma, Toppenish, WA and Lapwai, ID. She grew up helping her father herd cattle around Pine Springs, helping take fish to market from Celilo Falls to Portland, OR, and she developed a lifelong love for gathering and preparing our foods and medicines.

She eventually met her partner Frank and had children together, whom she raised while moving up and down the west coast while Frank served in the Navy.

Geraldine attended beauty school and later in life worked for the Yakama Nation Housing Authority. However, her true calling was as a food gatherer. She loved spending time in the mountains with her family and friends, sharing memories and laughing while they worked to provide for their families and others. Or at home preparing the gathered food for meals and storage. She shared her knowledge and experience with many others to ensure that these ways and this work would continue.

Her home was open to all. Countless people were fed at her table and whenever anyone needed to feel the love and comfort of home, they turned to Geraldine. She opened her home to host medicine dances throughout the years. And she provided many with a place to stay when in need.

Geraldine was many things throughout her full, well-lived life, but none more important to her than being a loving mother and grandmother. She always made time to attend as many events and games as she could, celebrating the journeys and accomplishments of her loved ones.

Any spare time she had was spent making crafts. She spent countless hours behind her sewing table or at her chair quilting and doing beadwork. Her labors will provide memories for so many who are in possession of her work, created by her beautiful hands full of love.

Geraldine entered into rest peacefully, with family by her side, on December 2, 2024. She is survived by daughter Portia J. Shields and husband John “Joe” Shields; sons Miles R. Miller and Dana C. Miller all of Wapato, WA; daughter Theresa Snow of Cawston, British Columbia, Canada; granddaughter Sara Rae Shields and grandson Kyle Shields and his wife Amber; brothers Irving A. Pinkham, Julian D. Pinkham, Lloyd Pinkham, and sister Claudia Williams; grandson Jacob Wolftail and family; and granddaughter Vicky Tom and sons of Brentwood Bay, Vancouver Island. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded by her grandparents, Elootsekatset John Brooks Pinkham and Lydia Moses (survivors of the Nez Perce War of 1877), Elsie Sitwell Pinkham; Julia Wallahee and Maurice Thompson; parents Joseph and Ida Pinkham; her aunts Helen Pinkham, and Bessie Pinkham; sisters Rosalie K. Bassett, Melvina Aleck, Faye Jabeth, Roberta “Bobbie” Ezekiel, Kathleen Mae Ezekiel, and Virginia White; brothers Joe Jay Pinkham, Justin Pinkham, and Jonathon Pinkham, and other brothers and sisters; partner Frank R. Miller; sons Vernon A. “Tony” Pinkham and Ivan W. Miller; and special niece Elena L. Bassett.