Joseph Wayne Tate Nevaquaya was born to Doc and Charlotte Tate Nevaquaya on January 29, 1972 at the Lawton USPHS in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was an enrolled tribal member of the Comanche Nation and also part Choctaw and Chickasaw. Joseph grew up in Apache, Oklahoma where he attended the Apache elementary schools and then graduated from the Apache High School in May 1992. Joseph loved to play sports, he was an athlete at Apache High School where he had played basketball, football, and track. Joseph loved powwow's and later became a member of the Comanche Little Ponies Society and the Thu-we dance. Joseph traveled with the Little Ponies Society to various powwow's throughout the states and he loved dancing at the Oklahoma powows. Joseph was given the Comanche name Black Knife. Joseph met the love of his life Ramada Cloud in 2009 and married her December 4, 2021. Joseph moved to Ignacio, Colorado where he made his home with his wife Ramada. He loved doing art by creating different crafts such as beaded necklaces and graphite work. He was a true OU Sooners Football fan, he loved football season ready to cheer his Sooners on, Joseph passed Saturday morning April 25, 2026, at the Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado. Joseph is survived by his wife Ramada Nevaquaya of Ignacio, CO, his brother; Edmond Tate Nevaquaya of Apache, OK, Timothy Tate Nevaquaya of Tulsa, OK and Calvert Tate Nevaquaya of Apache, OK. His sisters; Joycetta Nevaquaya Harris, Andadarko, OK and Sonya Tate Nevaquaya, Moore, OK.

He is preceded in death by his parents Doc and Charlotte Tate Nevaquaya, his brother Sonny Tate Nevaquaya, his sisters; Jereaux Nevaquaya Sander and Amanda Sue Bordeaux. Joseph did not have any children of his own, but he was a big part in caring and loving for his nieces and nephews. He was loved by them all who have special time and memories of their Uncle Joe.