Joel Chase

Joel Chase of Hoopa passed away on August 12, 2020 surrounded by family. 

Joel was born on January 31, 1979 in Palo Alto to Lynne Ingram and Emmett Chase, Sr. He graduated high school in Manila, Utah. He moved back to the home of his people at age 20 where he lived for the remainder of his life. Joel was proud to be Na:tinixwe, Tsnungwe and a member of the Raider Nation. Joel attended College of the Redwoods & Humboldt State University. His favorite job was working for the Hoopa Tribal Fisheries Department, which allowed him to spend time on the Trinity River.

Joel was a kind-hearted, gentle soul, with a distinctive laugh, who was quiet, but always ready with a quick come back. He spent his early adulthood years adventuring with his friends and family, even travelling to Italy. Joel was a true music lover and often attended rock concerts, collecting T-shirts as he went.

Joel loved old cars, his dream was to own a 1968 Camaro SS/RS. He often watched car shows and was excited to be able to go to Kindig It Designs, the custom car shop featured on Bitchin Rides, when he was in Utah last summer. Joel also dreamed of owning a side by side and bought a Polaris RZR, his latest hobby. One also can’t forget the love he had for his giant old truck, his wife liked to call “his precious.”

Joel deeply loved his son, Rian, and was his biggest fan, always there to cheer him on whether it was soccer, basketball, Rubik’s cube competitions, or the science fair. Joel enjoyed spending time with his son, especially watching movies, helping with math homework, and playing card games or chess. Joel was so proud to see Rian promoted as the Salutatorian and Outstanding Athlete of the Year in June at TVES. Talking about his son never failed to bring light to Joel’s eyes.

Joel married his wife, Shaonna Chase on March 14, 2009, Pi day, which was appropriate considering Joel’s math-oriented brain. Together they restored the childhood home of Joel’s father, aunts, and uncles. During the renovation they found old redwood ceilings which he helped restore and was also gifted redwood siding from his Aunt Gwen’s previous home that Joel painstakingly hand sanded and routed to make window frames and baseboards for the house. Joel took pride in creating a home for his family.

Joel is preceded in death by his mother Lynne Ingram and is survived by his wife Shaonna Chase, son Rian Tracy, father Emmett Chase Sr., stepmother Eva Smith, stepfather Mark Ingram, brother Emmett Chase Jr. (Eleanor), sisters May Peterson (Jason), Erika Tracy (Lawrence), Sara Chase (Craig) and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who he always enjoyed spending time with, especially Bunky, Bill, Chili, and Amy. 

A private memorial service will be held for Joel at his family’s cemetery where masks and social distancing will be required. We ask that everyone respectfully embrace these precautions and those who aren’t able to attend please remember and celebrate Joel in your own way as we all keep him in our hearts. The family would also like to thank St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Fresenius Dialysis Team, the KMC Ambulance and the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police with a special ts’ehdiyah to Rod Johnson, Robert Buckman, and Isaac Bussell.

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