[IMAGE]Leonard FourHawks
FLORENCE, MA – Leonard FourHawks, proud member of the Mohawk and
Cheyenne Nations has left this earth to begin his journey to the
ancestors and the stars. He was 90, and was ready to take his rest.
Born in New York city, where his father worked high steel, the family
eventually moved to Long Island. At the age of 17, Leonard chose to
follow the Warrior tradition of serving and protecting his people and
his country and enlisted in the Navy, where he served as an
Electrician’s Mate on the Battleship New Jersey during the Korean War.
After the war, he returned to Long Island to continue his electrical
work, and had a career that spanned from working in the NYC subway
system to becoming an electrical engineer and project manager at the
VA Medical Center in Manhattan. During this time span, Leonard also
enlisted and served in the Navy SeaBees during the earliest days of
Vietnam, and after his hitch, enlisted in the Navy Reserve, serving
until his honorable discharge in 1991.
In 1984, he first met Amalia at a Native American event. Their love
was immediate and they knew that out of all the humans in the universe
they had found each other, their soulmate, their partner, the other
half of their heart. They married in September of 1985 during the time
of the equinox, a time when the day and night are exactly equal, as
their marriage was to be. They lived in New Jersey while he continued
his work at the VA Manhattan. After a serious injury forced his
retirement, he and Amalia decided to return to the thing that made
them both happiest working as Native American artisans and traveling
to powwows and art shows all over the country. For years they lived on
the road, sharing adventures, seeing wonderous parts of the country.
While visiting and living with different Native communities, Leonard
would often spend time sharing some of the traditional old Mohawk
cultural stories and learning their tribal stories in turn. This
became a large part of his life, collecting and sharing these old
stories, and he took on the responsibility of becoming a Storyteller,
responsible for keeping the oral traditions alive. He was invited to
many venues around the country to share those stories and was often a
featured part of Native events.
Eventually, they came to be with family in the Northampton area, and
opened FireHawk Native American Studio in Florence. After 13 years in
retail, the business shifted to online, and Leonard had time to pursue
some outside interests. He had always loved Look Park, and when a
Ranger position was offered, he had the chance to work outdoors in his
favorite place. With his long, braided hair and easy smile, he was a
well-known figure around the park, and made many friends in his
career. He also took the opportunity to become legally ordained and
had the honor of officiating at many secular and spiritual weddings
and funerals all over New England.
Leonard also loved art and being around people, which made a position
at the Smith College Museum a perfect job for him. Known as “The Guard
with the Braids”, he delighted in showing guests some of his favorite
paintings, and in his off hours would look up and study the artists
and their work.
Leonard also maintained his place as an Elder in the local Native
community. He took seriously his responsibility to educate people
about the living Native culture, to be well spoken and well dressed;
to be a mentor and a dignified and respectable leader. He spoke about
Native issues at events and before Congress, supporting Native rights,
and the contributions of Native American veterans.
He was proud of his military service, and was a member of the Vietnam
Era Veterans Inter-Tribal Association, serving in the Honor Guard for
parades, military funerals, and as a Presidential escort during the
inauguration of President Bill Clinton. He was a lifetime member of
the Naval Enlisted Reserve Assoc and a member of the VFW Post 8006 of
Florence.
Once again, at the time of the September equinox, when day and night
are equal, with his goals met and his work done, Leonard has now gone
to his rest. He leaves his wife of 40 years, Amalia FourHawks, his
tribal son and trusted friend Bill Myers, his two beloved
“sons-of-his-heart” Rob and McKey Carpenter, and the entire tribal
community of the Northeast who he loved as his own family.
Ceremonies to celebrate Leonard’s life will be at the AHEARN FUNERAL
HOME, 783 Bridge Rd., Northampton on Saturday, October 4, 2025.
Calling hours are from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. with a Native American
Ceremony and remembrances from family and friends from 11:00 to 12:00
P.M. followed by a procession through his beloved Look Park, and a
gathering for food and laughter and release at the Florence VFW.
We wish to thank the amazing, caring and supportive doctor, nurses and
staff of the CLC skilled nursing facility of the VA Medical Center in
Leeds for the love and kindness they provided for the past years.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the American Indian
College Fund (www.collegefund.org) to Look Park (www.lookpark.org) or
to any charity that you feel would honor Leonard’s legacy.
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