‘I believe she prayed them into heaven'
‘I believe she prayed them into heaven'

CARNEGIE — Relatives of three women who drowned together Sunday in a flash flood have found peace in the evidence of their loved ones' final moments.

More Info

Rose Saddleblanket

NewsOK Related Articles

• Floodgates are opened at rain-swollen Overholser
  08/22/2007 Two days have passed since the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin dumped as many as 10 inches on parts of Oklahoma, and several Oklahoma City residents are just...

Authorities found Dorita Horse, her daughter Helen Horse, and niece Rose Saddleblanket huddled together in the back seat of their submerged van. The three were swept off a darkened state highway south of Carnegie shortly after midnight by a raging river of rainwater.

"Mom was in the middle,” said Alpha Marie Goombi, one of Dorita Horse's 11 children. "In that brief amount of time, when they knew they were going to die, I believe Mom tried to comfort them. I believe she prayed them into heaven.

"And I believe Jesus was right there with them.”

A memorial service will be tonight for the three women at Red Buffalo Hall on the Kiowa Tribal Complex in Carnegie. Services will begin at 7, and the public is invited.

Their funeral will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at the same location.

Dorita Horse, 77, was the wife of Kiowa Chairman Billy Evans Horse. The two were wed May 12, 1950, in a traditionally arranged marriage, and recently celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary.

Dorita Horse was well-known throughout the powwow circuit as a traditional chorus girl singer, and faithful member of the Botone Memorial United Methodist Church. She will also be remembered by family and friends as someone who unselfishly gave of herself in service.

"Mom always told us to love everyone,” said Catherine Horse, Dorita Horse's daughter. "She always told us to see people the way God sees them.”

Helen Horse, 34, held a "special bond” with her mother, said Bessie James, Helen's sister.

"They had a special relationship. They went everywhere together, and Helen was always right there to help,” James said.

Helen Horse, who possessed a talent for riding horses in her younger days, also served in the Kiowa Volunteer Fire Department. In 2003, she was on a crew of firefighters that helped in the recovery of the Columbia space shuttle wreckage in Texas.

Saddleblanket, 16, was considered a "little sister” by members of the Horse family. She joined the immediate family in 2005 after the death of her father, Otis Horse, the tribal chairman's youngest brother.

"She began attending Riverside Indian School so she could touch base with her roots,” James said. "On the weekends, she couldn't wait to get a pass to come home. Seems like every time I went to Mom and Dad's, I'd see her there.

"She was like our little sister.”

Dorita once attended the Riverside Boarding School as an orphaned child, and despite being enrolled as an Apache, was promised by a family elder to marry Billy Evans Horse.

"She picked up a lot of the language and song and really embraced the Kiowa heritage,” Alpha Marie Goombi said.

Catherine Horse smiled, adding, "A lot of people thought she was Kiowa.”

Leave a Comment

News Photo Galleriesview all

Emergency Equipment

View pictures of equipment purchased by Oklahoma agencies to use during a disaster.

12 photos

Norman Depot celebrates 100 years

The railroad station hosted a concert as part of it's celebration.

12 photos

Cancer Cosmetics: Friday, Nov. 13, 2009

Cancer patients learned make-up and cosmetic tips from Johnson during a session at Integris Baptist Hospital Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 10, 2009.

9 photos

Oklahoma City Fatal Fire: Friday, Nov. 13, 2009

Authorities say five people, including an unborn child, died in a fire at an Oklahoma City home earlier this week.

5 photos

Page 1 of 5

Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next