Tribe mourns passing of Chief Don Ivy, July 23

The Coquille Indian Tribe joins the family of Chief Don Ivy in mourning his passing this week. The chief died Monday night after a courageous seven-month battle with cancer. He was 70 years old and had been chief since 2014. Tribal Chairman Brenda Meade offered this statement about her friend and colleague: “Chief Ivy was a consistent source of wisdom and kindness for the Coquille people. His voice was an invaluable asset to those of us who were privileged to serve with him in tribal leadership, and we will miss him terribly. We offer our prayers for his family, along with our enduring gratitude for his many contributions to the tribe’s wellbeing.” Donald Boyd Ivy was well-known in Oregon as a champion of Indian people and a scholar of tribal heritage. He received many awards for his leadership and contributions to the State of Oregon and Indian Country, including the Potlatch Fund, the Antone Minthorn Economic & Community Development Award, and the Oregon Heritage Commission’s Heritage Excellence Award. Most recently, Southwestern Oregon Community College honored him in May as its 2021 Distinguished Alumnus. As chief of the Coquille Tribe, he served on the seven-member Tribal Council and was the tribe’s cultural and spiritual spokesman. In honoring his wishes, the tribe will hold a special election to choose his successor. A memorial service will be held in The Mill Casino-Hotel’s Salmon Room at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25.