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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>Ronnie M. Pierce, Tribal sovereignty and Klamath water rights leader, passed away in her home in McKinleyville Sunday afternoon <st1:date Month="2" Day="13" Year="2005">Feb. 13, 2005</st1:date>. </FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>Born on May 12,1942 in Nevada City, CA. to May and Ronald Pierce; she is survived by her brother Terry<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Pierce of Manhattan Beach Ca. and nieces Lisa and Susan Pierce and leaves behind her partner of 22 <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>years, Elizabeth Finney.</FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>Ronnie began her formal education at Healds Engineering College of San Francisco in 1959 where she was the first woman to receive a degree in structural engineering. She was responsible for overseeing <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>certain aspects of the <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>construction for the Trans America building and several other <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>developments within the Bay Area. She then went to <st1:place><st1:City>Old Dominion University</st1:City> , <st1:State>Virginia</st1:State></st1:place> to <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>receive her Masters of Science in Marine Biology where she graduated Cum Laude in 1978.</FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>Ronnie moved to <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Humboldt</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in 1979 where she founded <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Pierce Fisheries Consulting. For the past twenty years Ronnie has served as <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>a consulting biologist specializing in <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Klamath</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>River Basin</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> salmon management issues. She worked within all aspects of Native American salmon management in the Basin relating to Tribal rights issues in restoration, water, and harvest management. </FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>As a tireless leader for Tribal rights issues, Ronnie worked closely with the Karuk and Yurok Tribes, the Inter-Tribal Fish and Water Commission, Northern California Indian Development Council and such federal agencies as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and US Fish and Wildlife Service. The last years of her career were spent towards dam removal within the Basin and retaining essentially needed water for the <st1:place>Klamath River</st1:place> ecosystem.</FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>As a descendant of <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Pender</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Harbor</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, Vancouver and native Squamish pioneers in <st1:State><st1:place>British Columbia</st1:place></st1:State>, Ronnie enjoyed researching family history and visiting family members. Besides her consulting work, Ronnie received awards for oil painting and will be remembered by those who commissioned her work. She enjoyed life to the fullest and spent many leisure hours working on restoring the classic Chryslers that her brother Terry helped to design in <st1:City><st1:place>Detroit</st1:place></st1:City>. When not cruising downtown, Ronnie could be seen cruising the tables in <st1:City><st1:place>Reno</st1:place></st1:City> or the slot machines at local casinos.</FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>Ronnie never buckled under pressure and was uncompromising in her demand for truth. Her expertise was much sought after by Tribal leaders, legislators, environmental leaders, researchers, educators, legal officials and government officials just to mention a few. Always preferring to work behind the scenes, her tenacity and bold spirit will continue to impact and touch the lives of all of us on the <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>North</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Coast</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. Though her work is still needed here, her memory will guide those left behind.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3>“Thank you Ronnie for your years of dedicated service to protecting the <st1:place>Klamath River</st1:place> and Tribal sovereignty..”</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: red"><FONT size=3>In Ronnie’s memory and dedication contributions may be made to the <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: red"><FONT size=3>Ronnie Pierce Scholarship Fund<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: red"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>c/o KRIFWC<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><st1:address><st1:Street><SPAN style="COLOR: red">PO Box</SPAN></st1:Street><SPAN style="COLOR: red"> 1449</SPAN></st1:address><SPAN style="COLOR: red"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><st1:place><st1:City><SPAN style="COLOR: red">Hoopa</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN style="COLOR: red"> </SPAN><st1:State><SPAN style="COLOR: red">CA</SPAN></st1:State><SPAN style="COLOR: red"> </SPAN><st1:PostalCode><SPAN style="COLOR: red">95546</SPAN></st1:PostalCode></st1:place><SPAN style="COLOR: red"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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