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In Memory of Donald E. Axinn
Posted October 15, 2009
We at The University of Montana School of Law are saddened
by the loss of a long time friend and supporter Donald E.
Axinn who passed away Monday, October 12, 2009. We
are grateful for the generous support of The Donald E. Axinn
Foundation in establishing the Axinn American Indian Scholars
Program at the School of Law, which provides scholarship
funding to increase access by American Indian law students
to a quality legal education in Montana. Many of our
students have benefited from Don Axinn’s generosity,
his vision, and his commitment to public service. In
a tribute to Mr. Axinn, Shane Morigeau, president of the
Native American Law Students Association noted the gratitude
of students: “We are ever so lucky to have had an individual
such as Don Axinn be a part of our institution. He has changed
many lives. He has opened my eyes to the importance of giving
back and believing in individuals.”
The tribute included below by Professor Ray Cross expresses
the feelings of many about the leadership and service of
Donald Axinn, a person we honor and are honored to have known.
MY REMEMBRANCE OF DONALD E. AXINN
Professor Ray
Cross, UM School of Law
Poet, pilot, novelist, entrepreneur, philanthropist —these
are all appropriate words to describe Don. For me,
though, I saw another side of Don—a man who knew and
understood the inner yearnings and struggles of today’s
young Indian men and women who chose to work as law students
and, later, as lawyers to better themselves and their Indian
peoples. Don, whether it was sensible or not, recently
chose to brave January in North Dakota so that he, along
with a few close colleagues, could visit the tribal people
(Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation) on the Fort Berthold
Indian Reservation. Like countless elders before him,
he struggled up the steep slope of Crow Flies High hill to
honor the medicine wheel that lays at its peak. That
was the kind of man he was: lively, undaunted and willing
to undertake almost any challenge to gain more understanding
about himself and the Indian people he helped serve. I
first met Don about 4 or 5 years ago, in Missoula, Montana,
and quite frankly, I was almost overwhelmed by his boundless
zest and verve for life. He seemed like a man thirsty for
all that life could offer him and more. To describe Don as
a passionate man who loved the whole world and all life would
be an understatement. It may be more accurate to say, he
was “in love” with all of life and all of god’s
creation. His love affair with this dream called life
never ended, not even with his last breath. I am, for
that reason, not going to say good bye to Don. Because I
know, when I least expect it, one of the many Indian young
people he helped will “pop up” with their own “Don
story” to tell me about. Don will live on in
those “warriors’ deeds” of those
many Indian lawyers he helped give birth to. They
will continue his unending battle for justice in the
county, state and federal courthouses all across the American
West.
With gratitude, honor and respect, Ray Cross
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