Marjorie “Midge” Debora Pablo Hayes, a lifelong Kamiah resident, died Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston. Midge was a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. She was 91.
Midge was born in Kamiah on Nov. 2, 1931, to Sam J. Pablo and Tennie Frank Pablo. Her parents passed away one month apart when Midge and her siblings were teenagers.
Midge married Eugene Broncheau and they had three children together, Karen, Errol and Charles “Chucky.” They later divorced.
She married Chester “Chuck” Bullock and they had six children together, Renee, Tina, Kimberley, Errol, Cynthia and Michael. They later divorced.
In her later life, she married Charles “Pete” Hayes. Pete passed away during their marriage. She and Pete adopted their grandson, Dominick Keith Bullock, and loved him dearly every day of their lives.
She was a cook for the Nez Perce Tribe’s Headstart and Senior Citizen programs. She eventually worked at the It’se Ye-Ye Casino from the day it opened until 2010 when she retired. She was a technician but also liked to assist customers in other capacities. She loved to visit with customers, and many became lifelong friends.
Midge had a large family and spent as much time as possible with them. She went on family trips to Montana, California, Hawaii, Utah, New Mexico and elsewhere. She loved to travel and with a large family inviting her along allowed her to stay busy throughout retirement.
Midge loved her church and church gatherings. She attended Talmaks Church Camp every year and traveled to Arizona for Pima Camp meeting when she was able. She participated with her church as a missionary and traveled to Guatemala to help others. She would have loved to have made one more trip to Guatemala before her passing, she felt that she belonged there. She was often teased that she loved to travel there because the people made her feel tall. Mom and Pete were active members of the First Indian Presbyterian Church. They taught Bible study and Sunday school when their assistance was needed. They loved their church and church family.
Midge was one of those people who never met a stranger. Many people called her Mom, Auntie or Grandma. She loved these extended family members very much. The family has received several comments that she truly was their mom.
We all know of her love of the color pink, we’re not sure anyone wore it as loud and proud as she did. It was a challenge for her children to find a unique pink item for her gifts each year — she even received pink duct tape for her birthday and owned a pink Bible.
Midge is survived by her children: Renee (Mike), Tina, Kim, Errol and Cindi; her brother Sam Pablo; her 25 grandchildren: Mellisa, Michelle, Ara, Tenaya, Thomas, Kimmie, Stephanie, Costas, Andreas’, Martin, Lisa, Errol Jr., Carmen, Riston, Melanee, Raquel, Dominick, Shavon, Morgan, Paige, Charles, Logan, Brandon, Elijah and Aaron; her 43 great-grandchildren: Xavier, Taylor, Brydan, Macen, Genny, Alan, Parker, Ebony, Triston, Adesjia, Keaton, Ilyanna, Elisha, Rylee Jean, Cheyenne, Tristan, Serena, Joaquin, Ernestine, Elicia, KyLynn, Anthony Jr., Eriel, Aura, Alania, Misti, Miles, Austin, Seth, Kee-Ni, Kee-Yeh, Mytaya, Creed, Riston “RJ,” Alec “AJ,” Qmoni, Tycee, Demetree, Maile, Kaydynse, Hunter, Trinity and Max; and six great-great-grandchildren: Reyna, Mavis, Jenica, Amara, Lilly and Alailah.
There were plans to do her five-generation pictures with her five great-great-grandchildren, but we missed our opportunity because of her quick passing.
Midge is also survived by many nieces and nephews who adored her and she has many friends that are considered her adopted family. Please know she loved you all completely.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Eleanor and Patricia, her children Errol Robinson, Chucky Broncheau and Michael Bullock, and her grandchildren, Rose Marie Broncheau, Elisha Stanton, Alan Robinson, Adilynn “Adi” Bullock and Isaiah Webb.
Mom, Grandma, Grandma Midge, Auntie Midge, Pinkie, etc., will be missed tremendously by all who knew and loved her. She was always telling us that she is prepared to go and asked us not to cry when her time came. She would tell us that she had a good, long life and we should be happy. We’re trying to honor her wishes but she was such a large presence with her larger-than-life personality, orneriness and compassion, we hope she understands if we cannot quite follow this order. Family are sharing recordings of her voice just to hear the sound we all loved and wish we had recorded more. From our family to yours, please record your loved ones’ voices; the recordings are precious, and hearing your loved ones’ voices after they have left is a gift to cherish.
All who knew and loved her dearly will never forget her endless love, smile, care and concern, compassion, ability to find everyone something at a thrift store they didn’t need, and her ability to love life.
Please join us in celebrating Midge’s life. The memorial was at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at the Wa-A’Yas Community Center in Kamiah. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at the First Indian Presbyterian Church, in Kamiah, with burial to follow at First Indian Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Dinner will follow burial at the Wa-A’Yas Community Center.
