Beloved Cherokee Language Teacher Ann Walkingstick Dies at 78

Walkingstick dedicated decades to preserving Cherokee culture and language at New Kituwah Academy.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:34pm

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Jeanette 'Ann' Walkingstick, a lifelong resident of the Cherokee community in North Carolina, passed away on March 23, 2026 at the age of 78. Walkingstick was a dedicated teacher of the Cherokee language at the New Kituwah Academy, where she worked for over a decade to help preserve the language and culture of her people.

Why it matters

As one of the first Cherokee Language Speakers at the New Kituwah Academy, Walkingstick played a crucial role in the school's mission to revitalize the Cherokee language and pass on traditional knowledge to new generations. Her passing is a significant loss for the Cherokee community, which has long struggled to maintain its linguistic and cultural heritage in the face of assimilation.

The details

Walkingstick grew up in the Yellowhill Community of Cherokee, North Carolina, speaking only Cherokee at home as one of nine children. After working in Atlanta for many years, she returned to Cherokee in 2004 and began teaching at the newly opened New Kituwah Academy, where she worked tirelessly to teach the Cherokee language to students of all ages until her retirement in 2009. She later returned to the school on a contract basis until 2020, making a brief comeback in 2022 before her health no longer permitted it. In addition to her teaching work, Walkingstick was an accomplished seamstress, craftsmaker, and gardener, passing on her skills and love of Cherokee traditions to her children and community.

  • Walkingstick was born on April 29, 1947.
  • She began teaching at New Kituwah Academy when it opened in 2004.
  • Walkingstick retired from full-time teaching in August 2009.
  • She returned to work at the school on a contract basis from 2015 to 2020.
  • Walkingstick passed away on March 23, 2026 at the age of 78.

The players

Jeanette 'Ann' Walkingstick

A lifelong resident of the Cherokee community in North Carolina, Walkingstick was a dedicated teacher of the Cherokee language at the New Kituwah Academy, where she worked for over a decade to help preserve the language and culture of her people.

New Kituwah Academy

A school in Cherokee, North Carolina that focuses on revitalizing the Cherokee language and passing on traditional knowledge to new generations.

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What they’re saying

“Ann loved sewing and was an excellent seamstress, creating several traditional Cherokee garments and pow wow regalia over the years. She enjoyed making all kinds of crafts, trying her hand at making honeysuckle, pine needle, and gourd baskets, beading, and cornhusk dolls. She was always busy working on something and inspired all her children in some way to be crafty.”

— Laura Ann Walkingstick, Daughter

“Ann had a green thumb and loved being outside, soaking up the sun, and tending to her flowers. On her best days, she could often be found in the kitchen, enjoying cooking for any occasion. Ann loved making people laugh and always had a good story up her sleeve, rarely meeting a stranger.”

— Laura Ann Walkingstick, Daughter

What’s next

The family has invited the Cherokee community to a potluck celebration of Ann Walkingstick's life on Saturday, April 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the old Yellowhill Community Building.

The takeaway

Walkingstick's lifelong dedication to preserving Cherokee language and culture through her teaching work at New Kituwah Academy left an indelible mark on her community. Her passing is a profound loss, but her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of Cherokee people to maintain their linguistic and cultural heritage.