Karyl Denison Eaglefeathers: Catskills Folk Connection Loses a Folklorist

On September 13, Catskills Folk Connection lost one of its founding folklorists, Karyl Denison (Hunt) Eaglefeathers or Vanheo’o (Standing Sage Woman).  She was born on Aug. 2, 1952, to Charley and Louise Hunt.

A resident of Bloomville, Karyl was the wife of Clifford Eaglefeathers, mother of Ira, Shana, Erika, Eli, Tyson, Jonathan, David and Nate. She was grandmother to “about 17 of ‘em,” including, Sol, Eli, Cedar, Julian, Sage, Ava, Charley, Barley, Jasmine, Sky, Kaylee, Destiny and Nathan. Karyl’s siblings were Barbara, Barry (deceased), Jill, Jack and Daryl. She was adopted by Nancy Sandcrane in the Cheyenne way; and sister to Patty Old Man.

KD was a teacher in the broadest sense. As her mother, Louise wrote about her own mother, “Teaching came as easily to her as breathing.” Beyond the simple conveying of knowledge, she was a moral exemplar for her family, her students and her community.

Karyl’s lifelong commitment to service and nurturing continues to have a ripple effect on countless lives across the world.  (Part of newspaper obituary)

Karyl received her master's degree from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in folk studies, then completed her PhD at Indiana University.   Here in the Catskills she perpetuated the Camp Woodland Folk Festivals in the early 1970s before moving west where she served in academic and government folklore posts in Texas, Wyoming and Montana.  Returning to the Catskills in 2007, she joined Ginny Scheer in founding Catskills Folk Connection, a virtual folklife center for the Catskills.  Karyl had many goals for our work, beyond the center's radio program, that Ginny will work to bring to fruition.  Karyl was taken from us much too soon and will be missed continuously.