Majestic Living Summer 2013

Harris’ tireless efforts create lasting tribute to WWII heroes Story by Margaret Cheasebro Photos by Tony Bennett Navajo Code Talkers and some of their descendants were among many to attend the March 21 dedication in Santa Fe of the first Navajo Code Talkers monument in New Mexico. It rests in the Santa Fe National Cemetery at 501 N. Guadalupe St. The project was the brainchild of Aztec resident Zadeea Jean Harris, state regent of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of the DAR’s Desert Gold Chapter in Aztec. Its 83 members make up the third largest DAR chapter in the state. Both larger chapters are in Albuquerque.

Because every state regent must have a project, Harris chose the Navajo Code Talkers.

“I started doing research and found there was no monument to them in New Mexico,” she said. “There are murals, and I think there’s a bronze somewhere. So I decided to raise money to put up a monument in their honor. We only have 23 code talkers left, so I felt a real urgency.”

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