Yolanda Escalanti Perez

Yolanda Escalanti Perez, 64, passed away peacefully on July 15th, 2025.

Yolanda was born November 27th, 1961, in Los Angeles, California, and was raised on the Fort Yuma Reservation in Winterhaven, California. She lived with strength, heart, and an unmistakable fire. Yoly was a proud member of the Quechan Tribe and was also of the Pawnee Nation. She was preceded in death by her father, Manuel Caesar, from Oklahoma. She was a loving wife to Eddie Perez and a proud mother to Angel, Samuel, Jamie, and Jeana. She is also survived by her mother, Della Escalanti; her siblings, Monique Mitchell, Quentin Escalanti, and Madera Holstein; as well as her beloved dogs who brought her endless joy.

Yolanda had a strong personality and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, especially when it came to standing up for what she believed in. She was deeply connected to her culture and community, and she cared passionately about Native American issues. Her activism, from walking in The Longest Walk in 2008 to regularly attending council meetings, was fueled by deep love for her community. She leaves behind a legacy of loyalty, laughter, and an unmatched ability to tell it like it is. Yolanda’s spirit lives on in her family, her friends, and in the causes she cared so deeply about.

Pallbearers: Sergio Rosales, Gregory Rosales, Erahson Escalanti, Chino Gaxiola, Zachary Moody, Randall III Moody, Jeremy Mitchell, Alex Herrera, and Angel II Koteen.

Honorary Pallbearers: Edward Perez, Quentin Escalanti, Madera Holstein, Emilio Koteen, Israel Rosales, Damon Polk, Andre Polk, Manny Villa, Jesse Escalanti, Morales Escalanti, Chano Escalanti, Destry Escalanti, Eddie Thundercloud, Claude Thundercloud, Lorne Levy.

Funeral services will be held at Yuma Mortuary on Thursday July 24th 2:00pm to 4:30pm, with tribal ceremonial rites to follow at Quechan Big House. Cremation will take place at the Quechan Cemetery on Friday at 5:00 a.m.

Special thanks to Norman and Gordon Osborne for their support and care in ensuring Yolanda’s journey home is handled with care and respect.  

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