Navajo Times
Tuesday, July 14, 2026

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Code Talker Yodell Billah passes on

Code Talker Yodell Billah passes on

Navajo Code Talker Yodell Billah

WINDOW ROCK

Navajo Code Talker Yodell Billah has passed on, according to his family.

Billah’s funeral service and burial were held today, Monday, in Tonalea, Arizona, which he called home, at 10 a.m., at the Red Lake Grace Brethren Bible Church.

According to his family, he was 97 and was well-known in the song-and-dance circuit.

The Navajo Code Talkers became famous when their role as front-line communicators in the U.S. Military during World War II helped defeat the Japanese Empire by coding commands into Navajo.

Though no official count is available as to how many code talkers are still alive, it is believed less than 20 are left.

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About The Author

Donovan Quintero

"Dii, Diné bi Naaltsoos wolyéhíígíí, ninaaltsoos át'é. Nihi cheii dóó nihi másání ádaaní: Nihi Diné Bizaad bił ninhi't'eelyá áádóó t'áá háadida nihizaad nihił ch'aawóle'lágo. Nihi bee haz'áanii at'é, nihisin at'é, nihi hózhǫ́ǫ́jí at'é, nihi 'ach'ą́ą́h naagééh at'é. Dilkǫǫho saad bee yájíłti', k'ídahoneezláo saad bee yájíłti', ą́ą́ chánahgo saad bee yájíłti', diits'a'go saad bee yájíłti', nabik'íyájíłti' baa yájíłti', bich'į' yájíłti', hach'į' yándaałti', diné k'ehgo bik'izhdiitįįh. This is the belief I do my best to follow when I am writing Diné-related stories and photographing our events, games and news. Ahxéhee', shik'éí dóó shidine'é." - Donovan Quintero, an award-winning Diné journalist, served as a photographer, reporter and as assistant editor of the Navajo Times until March 17, 2023.

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