Former Navajo Nation Council Delegate Harold Tunney Remembered for Service to Navajo Communities

The 25th Navajo Nation Council is mourning the passing of former 18th Navajo Nation Council Delegate Harold Tunney, who represented the Bodaway and Cameron Chapters.

“Former Delegate Harold Tunney dedicated much of his life to serving his communities and advocating for issues that continue to be important to the Navajo people today,” said Speaker Crystalyne Curley. “From protecting our water rights and sacred sites to addressing uranium contamination and expanding telecommunications access, he worked to create better opportunities for the people he represented.”

Tunney was born in Tuba City on May 31, 1957, and spent most of his life in the Bodaway and Cedar Ridge areas. He was Kinyaa’áanii and born for the Tódích’íi’nii clan.

From 1995 to 1999, Tunney served on the 18th Navajo Nation Council as a delegate representing the Bodaway and Cameron Chapters. Beyond his work on the Council, he served his community as a guidance and substance abuse counselor and as a community coordinator for the Cameron Chapter.

As a Council delegate, Tunney advocated for several issues affecting the Navajo Nation, including Navajo water rights, repeal of the Bennett Freeze development restrictions, responsible land management, uranium remediation, prevention of illegal dumping, and protection of sacred sites.

Tunney also supported the installation of Cellular One towers across the Navajo Nation and advocated for expanded telecommunications and broadband access, particularly in Navajo communities.

He was married to Genevieve Tunney for 43 years. Genevieve died in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tunney is survived by his children, Shannon Foreman, Aaron Tunney, and Darren Tunney.

“My father had an ability to be compassionate about issues and to speak calmly. He always made sure to be careful about what he said,” said his son, Aaron. “He always wanted to give people hope. He wanted them to strive for something bigger and to be better than they were yesterday.”

Tunney was laid to rest at his family’s burial plot on Aug. 24.

The 25th Navajo Nation Council extended its deepest condolences to the Tunney family and expressed gratitude for his years of public service and commitment to improving the lives of people in his communities and across the Navajo Nation.