Southern Ute and La Plata County officials gathered south of Ignacio Tuesday afternoon to name County Road 322 in memory of Tribal Chairman Jimmy Newton Jr., who died on March 31, 2014.

County Commissioner Julie Westendorff started the program. "I appreciate the Tribal Council giving us the opportunity to do this," she said.

She noted she used to work as a Tribal Court prosecutor when Newton's mother Elaine was the judge. "It's a time I look back on very fondly, a valuable time in my life to learn about the tribe," she said.

"About 17 years ago, the tribe and county realized we needed to clear up some issues" regarding roads on tribal land that were labeled as county roads, to recognize county interests and tribal sovereignty, Westendorff said.

"We worked 17 years on the agreement. It was a really big deal for Indian Country," she said, because in some other places, tribal and county officials don't get along well.

"It was worked out in a good way, everybody treated with respect and honor. Chairman Newton was a big advocate of the agreement, but he passed away right before it was signed," Westendorff said.

She credited former County Commissioner Bobby Lieb with the idea to name a road in Newton's honor.

Several Tribal Council members spoke. Melvin Baker said, "This is Jimmy Newton's territory. It's only right. ... Here there's nothing but beautiful land, peaceful."

Al Cloud said, "Jim is looking down on us. The old people called this La Boca. This is our area. We all roamed it and called each other family. Jim knew the back roads and the stories about them. Hopefully this road means something - the road to success, the road to the future. He is always going to be here with us. This is a good day."

The road becomes an example of Newton's vision, his caring for the community and of knowing where you come from, Amy Barry said.

Tyson Thompson called the naming a celebration of life.

Mike Olguin called it "a bitter-sweet event." As vice-chairman, he signed the road agreement on behalf of Newton. "It was a long time coming," he said. "He (Newton) fostered good positive neighbor-to-neighbor relations."

Olguin noted the county didn't have to do this, and he thanked Bobby Lieb for proposing it.

Newton's daughter Maylon and mother Elaine and Jimmy Newton Sr. also spoke.

Maylon Newton thanked those who supported the family over the past year and those who came for the ceremony. "I love you, my family loves you, and my dad loves you," she said. "I believe together we can finish what he started."

Elaine Newton noted her son's knowledge of all the local back roads, something he learned from his father. "He loved being at the home, up on that hill," she said of land just to the east across the river. He released the stress of his chairman duties by beating the drum or by singing while he drove around, she said. He was a long-time member of a ceremonial drum group.

She asked Tribal Councilor Tyson Thompson to sing a song composed by her son. Thompson stepped forward and sang the song, moving his hands in place of beating a drum, as Newton's parents wiped away tears.

Westendorff and Olguin lifted the cloth cover off the green road sign naming the road in Newton's memory.