Eugene Goggles passed away on October 16th, 2020 surrounded by his loved ones at his home on 17 Mile Road. The family will have a Wake, Monday, October 19, 2020, beginning at 6 pm at the family home at 665 17 Mile Road, Arapahoe. Funeral and Burial Service at 10 am, Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at St. Stephens Cemetery.
Mr. Goggles was born in Fort Washakie, Wyoming on May 11, 1943, to White Otter Goggles and Angela Skinner Monroe. He was raised by his sisters Bernadine Goggles Friday and Ursula Goggles Brown along with his Aunts’ Christine Goggles and Mary Wolfrang. His first language was Northern Arapaho. He attended St. Stephens Indian School, St. Micheal’s Mission, and Fremont Vocational High School in Lander, WY. He graduated from St. Stephens Indian School in 1963. After high school, he attended Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma to run cross country.
He voluntarily enlisted in the United States Army in 1965, where he attended jump school and Special Forces training in Ft. Benning, Georgia. Specialist 4th Class Goggles was both a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade “The Herd” Sky Soldiers, B Battalion, and the Green Berets. He was deployed to Vietnam in January 1967. During his time in the service, he was awarded an Expert Rifle, Machine Gun and Auto Rifle Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Parachute Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal for his distinguished actions during combat. On June 9, 1966, he was wounded in action. Having served faithfully and honorably, Eugene Goggles was discharged from the United States Army with two Purple Hearts on October 3rd, 1967.
Upon his return home, he was recognized by West Shakespeare as a Dog Soldier for Northern Arapaho People. He became very active in the community where he mentored young veterans to adapt back to society. He participated in the Native American Church and Traditional Arapaho ceremonies. He had a lot of belief in our traditional way, was a member of the Rabbit Man Society and he ran sweats regularly to help those who needed prayers. Mr. Goggles attended the University of Wyoming, studying Athropology. He was an activist in the American Indian Movement. While fighting for the rights of Indigenous People in Pine Ridge, South Dakota he met his future wife, Mildred. They married on September 15th, 1973, they had two daughters, Dawn Rae and Sunny Rae, and one son, White Otter. After moving home he worked for the TERO, Tribal Fish and Game, and Northern Arapaho Tribe until 1998 with the birth of his first granddaughter, Phyllis. He then became a full-time grandfather, caring for twelve grandchildren and sharing his passion for fishing, hunting, and the outdoors.
Survived by his wife Mildred Goggles; his daughters Dawn Gardner and Sunny Goggles; his son White Otter (Sunni) Ironeyes, Idaho; his nephew Charles “CJ” Potter; his grandchildren Phyllis Gardner, Amanda Gardner, Raylene Fox, Talon Gardner, Dakota Norse, Angelique Shakespeare, Kalia Shakespeare, WhiteCloud Ironeyes, Kellan Oldman, SevaQuioa Ironeyes, Kora Goggles, and Joaquin RunningShield; Goggles Family, Brown Family, Warren Family, Friday Family, Monroe Family, Martel Family, Ortiz Family, Potter Family, Sage Family, Thunder Family, Trosper Family, Whiteman Family, Yellowplume Family, and Quiver Family; numerous relatives, and friends.
Eugene was preceded in by his parents, Brothers Whitey Goggles, Christopher Goggles, Robert J. Goggles, Peter Goggles and, James Goggles; Sisters Irene Warren, Bernadine Goggles Friday, Ursula Goggles Brown; Aunts and uncles who helped raise him, numerous niece and nephews, Partner in Crime Ernie Whiteman, Grandsons Nathaniel Gardner, and Thomas Gardner, Jr.