Fred Lane Sr., a longtime leader of the Lummi Nation of Washington, died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 71.
Lane, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, served several terms on the council, including a stint as vice chairman. “Everybody all over the country knew him,” current vice chairman Willie Jones told The Bellingham Herald. “He was quite an ambassador for Lummi.”
Lane was known for his sense of humor. “My dad was Lummi and my mom was Muckleshoot,” Lane said in a 2005 interview. “They took one look at me and divorced.”
“Fred’s humor was the glue that put us all together,” said council member Bernie Thomas.
A memorial service was held on the Lummi Reservation yesterday. Another one will be held on the Muckleshoot Reservation today and tomorrow.
Get the Story:Fred Lane Sr., Lummi leader, dies (The Bellingham Herald 3/23) $rl Lummi Nation - http://www.lummi-nsn.org
