Connie Mack Denver Sr.A Traditional Healer, Terminated Mixed-Blood Uinta, Roll #91
Connie Mack Denver Sr. was born on October 14, 1913, in Fort Duchesne, Utah, the first son and second child of Elmer Denver Sr. and Mary May (Harris) Denver. Raised in the traditions of his parents and grandparents, Connie grew up deeply rooted in Ute culture and ways.
As a youth, he attended the Whiterocks Indian School before continuing his education at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and later at the University of Southern California. He then pursued vocational training at the Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, where he studied and mastered the trade of stone masonry—a craft that became his life’s work.
In the 1930s, Connie’s athletic talents shone brightly. He was a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, where he trained with the legendary Jim Thorpe and ran track alongside Harry Chaka. Connie was also part of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, where he competed in track and field events.
Connie used his skills as a stonemason throughout Utah, Nevada, and California. He helped construct the Fort Duchesne jailhouse, contributed to concrete projects on and off the reservation, and built government housing on the Southern Paiute Reservation in Bishop, California. During World War II, his work took him to Hawthorne, Nevada, where he built ammunition bunkers for the U.S. Navy. Across California, his craftsmanship left a lasting legacy—his stonework and fireplaces can still be seen in the ski resorts of Mammoth Mountain and June Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
It was while working in Bishop that Connie met the love of his life, Rosaline Marie Butcher, a young Paiute woman from across the White Mountains. They married on January 6, 1942. Together they built a home on Tu Su Lane in Bishop, with Connie handcrafting the fireplace from carefully chosen local stone. That fireplace still stands as a symbol of his legacy and dedication to family.
Beyond his trade, Connie was deeply respected as a Sundancer, healer, and spiritual leader. His sweat lodge welcomed Native people from across California and Nevada. He and Rosaline offered help to all who sought it, living lives rooted in humility and service. Connie practiced his Catholic faith while also honoring his traditional Ute upbringing—finding strength and balance in both spiritual paths.
Connie gave back to the community as a director for the Bishop Paiute Elders and as a coach for youth baseball. He loved music, hunting, fishing, and especially baseball. He recalled with pride his days playing hardball in Fort Duchesne, Bishop, and Big Pine. In Big Pine, his team—the Warriors—competed fiercely with rival towns. Their coach, Burt Griffith, was the grandfather of future Major League player Matt Williams, who grew up playing against Connie’s sons.
Family was always Connie’s greatest joy. He was a devoted husband, father, and provider—keeping the fireplace burning, the home warm, and the family strong. He always considered Rosaline his equal and partner, honoring the Creator’s blessing in their marriage. Together they raised their family with love, faith, and respect for all life.
On November 11, 1993, just weeks after he and Rosaline celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, Connie walked the Star Trail at the Washoe Medical Center in Reno, Nevada.
His daughter, Gwendolyn Rose (Denver) Marquez, Roll #92, remembers him as a man whose teachings shaped her life:
“Father taught me to respect all life on earth. His songs, his stories, and his steps are a part of me. I miss him dearly and carry only good memories of a just and kind man. No one will ever fill his moccasins.”
May Connie and Rosaline’s spirits walk forever in the Happy Hunting Grounds, protecting their family and blessing the generations to come.