Lance Allrunner
The 36th Annual Denver March Powwow would have been the sixth year Lance served as our Master of Ceremonies. Our dear friend and business associate passed away in Lawton, Oklahoma on Friday, March 5, 2010. The Denver Indian Community will truly miss this young gentleman. He was a friend to all ages--from elementary students to elders--in our community. He always had a smile and kind words for everyone. The Indian community came to rely on Lance to speak on their behalf at powwows, wakes, funerals, and other important life activities. He not only shared his thoughts by speaking but would also share songs/hymns in his tribal language. For one so young, we placed him in the role of an elder and he shouldered the responsibilities without hesitation.
Lance Allrunner is a Cheyenne, Comanche and Kiowa originally from Anadarko, Oklahoma. He attended and graduated from Northeastern Oklahoma A & M, where he was Academic All-American. Following that, he attended the University of Oklahoma and Metro State College in Denver. He resided in Denver with his wife Dawn and son PhoenixJosiah. His most recent position was for Native American Cancer Research as a Health Educator/Program Director. He also worked as a Family Case Worker with the Denver Indian Family Resource Center. He helped in the development and implementation of youth programs with Denver Public Schools and advocated for Native Youth in the Juvenile Justice System and the Department of Human Services.
Lance grew up in the dance arena and enjoyed straight dancing as well as traditional dancing. He belonged to the tsi tsistah ho dah ni dah mi o’h (Cheyenne Dog Soldier Society) and danced with the Nu mu nu Thu wee (Comanche Black Knife) dancers. In Denver he was a member of the Denver Singers as well as the Colorado Intertribal southern drum. He was called upon to serve as Headman Dancer, MC and Arena Director at various pow wows throughout Indian Country.
His Indian name was Nakose, which means “Little
Bear”. He was the brother of Mindy
“Topayvita” Koassechony, and Beaushee Wildcat. He was also the very proud
uncle of Renae “Mukemah” Koassechony and Lesharo Beaushee Wildcat. He was the son of Carla “Nahsutai” and Darrell
“yalloway” Wildcat and the late Clarence Allrunner.
His paternal grandparents were Dan and Nellie (Meat) Allrunner and his
maternal grandparents were Carl and Viola (Hawziptah) Tahmahkera.
His maternal great-grandparents were “Woogie” and Eva (Tooahmpah)
Watchetaker.
March 11, 2010