The Author
Floyd "Buddy" Lewis was born in Casa Blanca, on the Gila River Indian
Reservation in Arizona. His father was Stewart Lewis, and his mother was
Minnie Soatkee, both from the Pima Indian tribe. He spent most of his early
years on the Phoenix Indian School campus in Phoenix, Arizona where his
father was the Printing Instructor. During the summers, Buddy stayed with
his Grand Parents in the village of Co-op, better known as Chi-chin-au. He
attended Osborn Grade School, North Phoenix High School, and the Phoenix
Indian School before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1943. He became a
torpedoman and served aboard the USS Whitney, with the 7th fleet in the
South Pacific. After the war he served aboard the USS John R. Craig, also
with the 7th fleet based at Tsing Tao, China.
While in China, Buddy was notified on the death of his father Captain
Stewart Lewis, and was given a No. 1 priority to attend his funeral at
Phoenix, Arizona. After the funeral Buddy received orders to resume duty in
Photography at Pensacola Florida. While attending school, he played
football for the Navy as a line backer. Later, he became an Aerial
Photographer, and resumed duty at Guam.
Upon his discharge, he enrolled at the University of New Mexico at
Albuquerque during summer session, attending a course on rhetorical writing.
As part of the Bereau of Indian Affairs relocation program, Buddy worked in
the accounts receivable office for a trucking firm in Chicago, then returned
home.
Floyd attained a job with the Maricopa County Community college as a Clerk
for the Skill Center. He retired from that position in 1996. He then
returned to his reservation and worked part time for the National Council on
Aging as a liason on behalf of the elders in his community in District 6.
Upon the completion of his contract, he resumed working on his novel and
enjoyed visiting withhis friends and relatives.
To his knowledge Floyd is very proud to be the son of the first Arizona
Indian to be commissioned in the Arizona National Guard as a Captain; an
achievement respected by all members of the Gila River Indian Community.