Phillip R. Stago Jr.

Phillip R. Stago Jr.

Phillip R. Stago Jr. was called back to main camp March 5, 2020, at the age of 74 years old at Flagstaff Medical Center. He was born in McNary on Dec. 13, 1946, to Phillip and Margaret “Tony” Stago.

A Memorial Celebration will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, at the Stago residence in the Seven Mile community, located in Whiteriver.

He lived in Winslow for 36 years with his family and will be fondly remembered by many who knew him. His passion in life was protecting natural resources and wildlife and earned a bachelor’s of science degree in Natural Resource and Wildlife Management from Northern Arizona University on May 16, 1975.

He served as general manager of the Game and Fish Department of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and won a legal battle at the United States federal court against the State of Arizona protecting the tribes sovereign rights over hunting and fishing on the land. During his time at Game and Fish he also developed a world-class trophy elk hunt where he attracted big game hunters and made lifelong friendships with many of them including George Strait and the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.

In 2006 he became the Executive Director of WMAT Natural Resource division where he worked to defend and assert the tribe’s water rights.

He had many professional accomplishments and had a lot of extraordinary adventures but his pride and joy in life was being the best friend to all his grandchildren. As my dad always told us “Stay alert and be on guard.”

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Lula Mae Stago; five children, Vance (Eileen) Stago, Thomasine Stago, Cecelia (Myron) Jackson, Jessica Stago and Phillip Merle (Tisha) Stago; 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and sisters, Beverly Stago and Tammy Stago.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Phillip and Margaret Stago; brother, Merle Stago; sister, Ermalinda Garcia; and grandsons, Cruz Dean Stago and Jonathan Timothy Stago.

Greer’s Mortuary of Winslow handled the arrangements.