Ciara Anne Montoya

aka “Lady Blaze” “Ise-Maut II” Ciara Ann Montoya, age 42, of Bellingham, passed away on February 2, 2021. She was born on April 20, 1978 in Bellingham to Paul Montoya and Gloria Washington. She graduated from Lummi Nation High School and attended Northwest Indian College. Ciara was a homemaker all her life. She loved to go to secondhand stores shopping with mom or rummaging as mom called it. She would always drive mom to summer pow-wows across Washington State and the one she enjoyed the most was the Mission pow-wows in Canada. Ciara was a crafty person who enjoyed beading, making tie-dye shirts with the kids. She loved being a beautician doing hair and make-up. Ciara was loved by many and made friends easily. She was a jokester, full of laughter and a loving caring person with a huge giving heart. Ciara was such an awesome caregiver to our family taking care of our grandpa, grandma, aunts, and uncles. After years of trying, she became a mother to her beautiful baby girl Whitney Morningstar. She was so happy when she found out she was pregnant and having a girl because she wanted to surprise her sister Angel and name her baby girl after her late niece Whitney Jamie Scarborough. She was a second mom to all her nieces and nephews. They were her pride and joy always spoiling them. Taking them to Bloedel and Lake Samish to go swimming. They would always go and cry to her when they would get in to trouble because auntie Ciara would always stick up for them and have their back. She is survived by her daughter, Whitney Morningstar; mother Gloria Washington; husband, Walter Solomon; sisters Benita Montoya, Charlene Holycross, Laurinda Scarborough, Elaina “Angel” Scarborough (Gusto), Gloria Scarborough (Leesa) Celeste Jefferson, and Kim Scarborough; brothers James Scarborough Jr., Steve Scarborough, and Frank Solomon; nieces Clarinda and Erin Fryberg, Erika and Nadia Mosqueda, Jayda Phair, and Jamee Scarborough; nephews Sebastian Scarborough, Dustin Tom (Sarah), Logan Toby Sr. (Brandy), Anthony Casimir (Kayla), and Cylis, Ike, and Dane Scarborough; great-nieces Mackenzie Tom, Sabrina Scarborough, Ariel Anderson, Kaydence Kinggeorge, and Ophelia Reyna; and great-nephews Logan Toby Jr., Jaymz Tom, and Kylan Lee Toby. Ciara is preceded in death by her father, Paul Montoya; stepfather, James Scarborough Sr.; brothers, Ike Scarborough, and Harold Scarborough; sisters, Shawneen Sanchez, Clarinda Scarborough, and Rhonda Scarborough; niece, Whitney Jamie Scarborough; nephew, Thomas Mosqueda; grandparents, William “Louie” and Laurinda Washington; uncles, Lawrence Washington, Theodore “Hoss” Washington, and Elliott Billy Sr.; aunts, Annie Fields and Joan Davis; and cousin “brother” Elliott Billy, Jr. A procession will leave from Moles Funeral Home Ferndale at 10:00am on Monday, February 8, going to Lummi Nation Cemetery for a graveside service.

Ciara Anne Montoya

April 20, 1978 - February 2, 2021