Former Lummi Nation chairman Larry Kinley passes on at age of 71

Wednesday, February 21, 2018  

Larry George Kinley, a former chairman of the Lummi Nation, passed away on February 13 after a battle with cancer. He was 71.

Kinley, a veteran of the U.S. Army, sat on his tribe's council for 19 years and was its longest-serving chairman, according to his obituary. He also was a long-time member of the board for The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.

“In his 30-year tenure with The National Center, Larry brought wisdom and vision to our Board of Directors, and helped bring our organization into the 21st Century,” board chairman Derrick Watchman said in a press release. “He was a leader not only through his work at the National Center but also with the Lummi people and throughout Washington state. He will be missed by all who worked with him and had the honor of knowing him.”

Kinley was a founding member of the Northwest Indian College Foundation and was the board’s president since 1988, Cascadia Weekly reported. He also served on the board of the Sycuan Tribal Development Corporation, based in California.

"He spent his entire life working to make life better for his wife, children, family, friends, the Lummi people, and many other tribal nations," the Lummi Nation said in a press release.

Funeral services took place over the weekend, according to post on Lummi Communications.

Read More on the Story:
Spirit of Sxwo’le (Cascadia Weekly February 21, 2018)