The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota lost a longtime council member, Marlin G. "Moon" Westin, who died on Monday. He was 45.

Westin served the tribe for several terms, most recently from 2002 through 2004. He became a quadriplegic after a car accident and used a wheelchair.

"He used to sit late into the evening at tribal council meetings. He stuck it out all the way, even though he was in that wheelchair," President John Yellow Bird Steele told The Rapid City Journal.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Get the Story:
Longtime Oglala Sioux Tribe council member Marlin Westin dies at 45 (The Rapid City Journal 1/2)

Relevant Links:
Oglala Sioux Tribe - http://www.lakotamall.com/oglalasiouxtribe

Related Stories:
Oglala Sioux Tribe leadership still in limbo (12/14)
Oglala Sioux Tribe has two working presidents (12/11)
BIA urged to intervene in Oglala Sioux election (12/8)
BIA hands off for now in Oglala Sioux Tribe dispute (12/7)
Two governments now competing at Pine Ridge (12/6)
Oglala Sioux Tribe swearing-in ceremony, or not (12/5)
Oglala Sioux Tribe election in hands of council (12/4)
Oglala Sioux Tribe at impasse over election (12/1)
Oglala Sioux Tribe moves toward a new election (11/30)
Oglala leaders object to another election (11/28)
Oglala Sioux president calls for another election (11/21)
Oglala Sioux Tribe election subject of dispute (11/14)
Oglala Sioux Tribe election plagued by complaints (11/10)
Fire Thunder unofficially defeated at Pine Ridge (11/9)
Fire Thunder faces Yellow Bird Steele at Pine Ridge (11/7)
Fire Thunder back on Oglala Sioux ballot for now (11/6)
Oglala Sioux Tribe votes to proceed with election (11/1)
Oglala Sioux Tribe primary results nullified (10/26)
Fire Thunder defends stance at ACLU conference (10/17)
Fire Thunder in running for Oglala Sioux president (10/9)
Oglala Sioux Tribe election results too close to call (10/6)
Fire Thunder fails to make cut in unofficial count (10/5)
More than a dozen seek Oglala Sioux presidency (08/31)
Fire Thunder worried about delay in ouster case (08/07)
Fire Thunder asks tribe's top court to reinstate her (8/4)
Fire Thunder waits for court date to get job back (7/31)
Court hearing on Fire Thunder impeachment delayed (7/27)
Fire Thunder faces July 28 impeachment hearing (7/21)
Fire Thunder suspended after being reinstated (7/19)
Fire Thunder reinstated after being impeached (7/18)
Opinion: South Dakota abortion ban goes too far (7/14)
Fire Thunder impeached after abortion controversy (6/30)
Fire Thunder set for impeachment hearing (6/26)
Petition seeks to outlaw abortion at Pine Ridge (6/22)
Fire Thunder fights for job as Oglala Sioux president (6/14)
Oglala Sioux Tribe bans abortion, suspends prez (5/31)
Opinion: Native woman's power and responsibility (05/26)
Protest planned against Pine Ridge women's clinic (5/24)
Native teens said to take part in pro-life rally (04/25)
Column: Fire Thunder plans genocide of own people (04/12)
Fire Thunder challenged on abortion clinic plan (4/10)
Opinion: Tribal law and abortion clinic at Pine Ridge (4/10)
Column: Fire Thunder, strong woman on the plains (4/6)
Fire Thunder plans women's clinic on reservation (3/31)
Opinion: Oglala Sioux to massacre their children (3/29)
Fire Thunder vows fight for women's health rights (3/28)
Fire Thunder joins fight against state abortion law (3/27)
Fire Thunder creates stir with abortion law comments (3/24)
Giago: Oglala Sioux president on state abortion law (03/21)
Fire Thunder reinstated as Oglala Sioux president (01/09)
Fire Thunder removal hearing delayed a second time (12/20)
Opinion: The life story of Cecilia Fire Thunder (12/19)
Fire Thunder removal hearing delayed a week (12/13)
Oglala Sioux president confident of future (10/31)
Pine Ridge president suspended by council (10/26)
Fire Thunder: 'At times I feel like George Bush' (10/21)
Pine Ridge president disputes latest complaint (10/18)
Pine Ridge president faces another complaint (10/17)
Oglala Lakota College assumes control of Head Start (09/20)
Cecelia Fire Thunder survives suspension complaint (07/01)
Oglala Sioux Tribe secures $38M loan from tribe (06/20)
Hearing into Fire Thunder suspension delayed (6/14)
Fire Thunder defends record in advance of hearing (6/10)
Hearing set on suspension of Oglala Sioux president (6/8)
Oglala Sioux Tribe president has not been suspended (6/3)
Means loses lawsuit against Oglala Sioux election (03/09)
Oglala Sioux Tribe inaugurates Cecilia Fire Thunder (12/13)
Russell Means sues after losing Pine Ridge election (12/03)
Pressure is on Fire Thunder as Pine Ridge president (11/15)
Fire Thunder credits women for Pine Ridge victory (11/08)
Fire Thunder calls election at Pine Ridge symbolic (11/4)
Cecilia Fire Thunder declared winner at Pine Ridge (11/3)
Harjo: Pine Ridge election about character (10/29)
Russell Means arrested for missing court date (10/25)
Pine Ridge Election: Profile of Russell Means (10/22)
Pine Ridge Election: Profile of Cecilia Fire Thunder (10/21)
Russell Means, Fire Thunder to debate in Pine Ridge (10/18)
AIM leader, nurse face off in Pine Ridge election (10/8)
Russell Means top vote-getter in Pine Ridge primary (10/7)
Means says South Dakota GOP needs to do more (8/9)