Mark Henle

The Republic | azcentral.com

In 2011, I had the opportunity to spend a couple of nights with Henry Lane in his Navajo sheep camp.

The camp was just south of Marble Canyon, at the Navajo Reservation’s western edge, 16 miles off the nearest U.S. highway and a world away from anywhere.

I was working with reporter Betty Reid on a series about Native American traditions and people who still lived those traditions.

At the time, Henry was 98 years old and was one of the last to herd sheep the traditional Navajo way.

He was old enough to remember a time when nearly everyone herded sheep, a time before air conditioning and satellite dishes. When families stayed with their flocks full time rather than commuting back and forth to somewhere else.

I remember buying a case of Vienna sausage for Henry at Costco and the smile on his face when he saw it.

I remember being nervous as Henry drove his truck too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon.

I remember having a cup of coffee with Henry in the middle of the night and him falling right back to sleep.

I remember Henry wanting me to shoot video of him singing, so he could watch himself on the back of my camera.

I’ll never forget the photos Henry so graciously allowed me to take, to record a way of life that was slipping away.

More importantly, I’ll never forget Henry, who passed away this week, at age 103.

Please read the story we published in 2011.

Even then, Henry seemed to know the days of the traditional sheepherder were numbered.

But he knew what mattered to him with a clarity most of us would be fortunate to find.

As he told Betty: "When I'm away from here, I have this urge to come back as soon as possible. I have a purpose here. I take care of the flock."

Mark Henle is a photographer for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.