Leona Mary Carlyle-Kakar
Maricopa - Maricopa County
Inducted in 2025
The Ak-Chin Indian Community was established by President William Taft in 1912. During the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s, the Ak-Chin Community operated diligently to establish its identity and foundation as farmers and dedicate its time to solidifying efforts to secure a water settlement to help secure their way of life for the benefit of its poor, but proud people.
Three children of Hiram J. and Tillie Romo Carlyle: Richard, Wilbert “Buddy,” and Leona dedicated the majority of their time lobbying their efforts for “water” to benefit the newly established Farming Enterprise. While the Farming Enterprise Board was told “no” to start-up funding from the Government, the three continued their efforts by lobbying County, State, and National leaders.
As their efforts started to progress in obtaining their dream of solidifying a resource (water) so valuable, the two brothers, unfortunately, died, never to see the fruition of their hard work. Leona went on to continue the fight.
Leona was born in 1936 in Casa Grande. She attended area schools and Central Arizona College. Leona married Joe Kakar in 1968. Together, they enjoyed farming and ranching while raising a blended family including 16 children, 110 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was a cowgirl at heart and a livestock owner.
Leona has had over 50 years of service as a leader for Ak-Chin. On the Council, she served as Secretary, Councilmember, Vice-Chairman, and Chairman. Leona served as Farm Board Chairman from 1965 until she retired in 2016.
For years, she traveled back and forth across the country, meeting with Congressional leaders in Washington D.C. to lobby the community’s water efforts. Her efforts often seemed bleak, with no positive outcome. She was determined to fulfill her brothers’ dreams and to ensure her people would have hope, opportunity, and a future for a brighter tomorrow.
In the 1980’s, Leona was able to see the dream of the people of the Ak-Chin Community envisioned. The first allotment of water was delivered to the community, which helped develop the Ak-Chin Farms and Ak-Chin community for what it is today.
Leona was a legend in her community. Three separate Governors (Castro, Williams and Babbitt) appointed her to serve as Chairman of the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs. Governors Mofford and Symington appointed her to serve on the Environmental Education Task Force. Leona served on the Agriculture Center Advisory. Committee for the University of Arizona College of Agriculture, in addition to the Maricopa FFA Advisory Board.
Honors for Leona included Outstanding American Indian Leader, Heard Museum Woman of the Year, and she was a Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations Honoree.
Leona paved the way for women worldwide by proving that a woman can succeed in agriculture. She ensured the success of the Ak-Chin Farms enterprise by growing it from a 3,000-acre operation to over 15,000 acres, establishing Ak-Chin Farms is one of the most successful farming enterprises in the United States.
Affiliations
Ak-Chin Tribal Council Chairman
Ak-Chin Farm Board Chairman
Southwest Indian Agriculture Association
Western Pinal Chamber of Commerce
Chairman of the AZ Commission of Indian Affairs (1973-1982)
Environmental Education Task Force
UofA Agriculture Center Advisory Committee
Awards
Heard Museum Woman of the Year, 1985
Citizen of the Year, Maricopa Township, 1986
Outstanding American Indian Leader, 1999
Women of Empowering Women -Indian Nations Honoree, 2006
Pinal 40 Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018
