Best-selling and award-winning mystery writer, Tony Hillerman, died on Sunday, October 26th, of pulmonary failure in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He wrote thirty some books, including books for children, nonfiction, a memoir, and what he is best known for; his 18 novel detective series featuring Navajo Tribal Policemen Joe Leaphorn and, later, Sgt.Joe Chee .  The series began in 1992 with THE BLESSING WAY and wound its way through 18 novels, ending with the 2006 THE SHAPE SHIFTER. In the books, Lt. Leaphorn and Sgt. Chee use their Navajo background to help solve murders while also giving us a taste of Native American culture and values. Hillerman’s first literary agent advised him to “take out all that Indian stuff.” Lucky for us all that he ignored the advice!

Tony Hillerman was born on a farm in small town Sacred Heart, Oklahoma. His affection for Native Americans and the Southwest may have sprung from his lifelong association and friendship with Native Americans. In 1987 he told the Washington Post , “There were town boys and country boys. And [I was a] country boy. We wore bib overalls and carried our lunch in a sack…. And to this day, I still feel much more comfortable around rednecks than I do around Yalies….And Navajos are definitely country boys.”

Hillerman was in the Army during World War II and eventually earned a master’s degree in English literature from the University of New Mexico. In his early writing years Purina hired him to write advertising copy and he worked on a newspaper. He later taught journalism. He is survived by his wife, Marie Unzer Hillerman and six children.

He followed his brother’s advice in life. “Don’t look for a way to make money; find a way to make a living doing what you like doing anyway. Otherwise you’re just raising ransom to buy your life back.” May we all make such good choices!

New York Times obituary

submitted by Judy Donn