Gerald Lloyd One Feather Sr. “Sunka Wakan Waste – Good Horse” and “Wiyaka Wanji – One Feather”, age 76, of Oglala, SD, entered the spirit world on August 21, 2014, at Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City, SD. Gerald was born to Elva and Joe One Feather of the Oglala Junior Community on July 10, 1938, and grew up in a traditional Lakota family and tiospaye. He had a lifelong love of learning and reading, being outdoors, and travelling. He was proud to serve as an ambassador and leader of his Lakota People and loved his family and friends. He attended Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD, the University of South Dakota at Vermillion, SD, where he received a Bachelors of Art degree in Government, the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK, where he obtained graduate credits in Government and the University of South Dakota where he obtained graduate credits in Public Administration. Gerald has been awarded three Honorary Doctorate degrees: a PhD in Reservation Education from Oglala Lakota College for his work in improving reservation education, a PhD in Indian Affairs from Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Indian Reservation for his service to Indian People, and in May of 2013, an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (honoris causa) degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, CO, for his exemplary personification of the ideals of leadership and service, cherished traditions of the University of Colorado. Gerald was a staunch advocate and practitioner of tribal sovereignty and self-determination, and he utilized these two key concepts in his involvement in education, tribal government, law enforcement and Indigenous rights. Gerald was elected Oglala Lakota Tribal President in 1970, the youngest president in the tribe’s history at the age of 32. He also served over the course of 16 years on the Executive Committee of the Tribe at various times as the Secretary, Treasurer and Fifth Member. He founded Oglala Lakota College (OLC) in Kyle, South Dakota, which became a model for 37 other tribal colleges on Indian reservations around the country. He was a member of the Oglala Lakota College Board of Trustees and served in that capacity for over 30 years, including as its first Chairman of the Board, a representative on its graduate advisory committee and a founder of its Council of Elders. He has been an instructor of Lakota language, history, culture, leadership and management at OLC for the degrees of Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts and the Masters of Art degree in Lakota Leadership and Management. In 2009, Gerald’s college classmate, Tom Brokaw, made a contribution to establish the Gerald One Feather Endowed Chair in Lakota Leadership. Due to Gerald’s leadership and experience, he was named the first President of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) in 1972. He also helped establish and became the Director of the Center of Indian Studies at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD, where he initiated an Indian education minor program as part of the academic curricula. Gerald was also a faculty member of the Vista Training Center at Arizona State University. He also led efforts for local control of reservation schools and has served as Chairman of the Loneman School Board in Oglala, SD. Gerald assisted in the Public Law 638 contracting from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to create the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Branch of Law Enforcement and while as its Executive Director founded the Oglala Lakota Tribal Police Academy at Oglala Lakota College to train tribal police officers nearly 30 years ago. He also served as Chief of Public Safety. Gerald has been involved in the United Nations’ work on Indigenous rights worldwide and has been a leader in the International Treaty Council of the United Nations and Staff Keeper of the Ikce Wicasa Ta Omniciye. He conducted six of the seven traditional Lakota sacred rites ceremonies (sundance, vision quest, making of relatives, keeping of the soul, preparing for Womanhood or puberty rite, and sweat lodge). Gerald has served on several national and American Indian organizations including: Regional Vice-President of the National Congress of the American Indian, President Board of Directors American Indian Leadership Council, Inc.; Member Board of Directors St. Augustine’s Center for American Indians; Vice-President Board of Directors United Sioux Development Corporation; Vice-President United Sioux Tribes of South Dakota; President National Committee on Indian Work; a founding member and first President of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC); Chairman Oglala Sioux Legal Aid Foundation; Co-Director Board of Directors Rural Ethnic Institute; President American Indian Leadership Council; Member Executive Council National Episcopal Church; Executive Secretary Lakota Development Corporation; South Dakota Indian Affairs Commission; the South Dakota Correction Commission; the Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing, Inc.; and an Elder Lakota Wisdom Keeper for the Oglala Lakota Immersion Headstart school program. Honors received include: National Congress of American Indian Citation Award; John Hay Whitney Foundation Fellowship; Award of Merit, U.S. Department of Labor; Award for Superior Public Service, U.S. Department of Commerce; White House Conference on Children and Youth; White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health; Award of Recognition –American Indian Higher Education Consortium; Award of Service Recognition – Executive Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church; Dedicated Service – Loneman School – Loneman School Board; Outstanding Service to the Oglala Lakota Oyate – Oglala Lakota Tribe. Gerald received numerous awards including the Petra Foundation Fellowship 1995); the Washington Times Foundation Award (2000); and Outstanding Service to the Oglala Lakota Oyate (Oglala Sioux Tribe-1986). Survivors include his wife, Ingrid of Oglala, SD; children Monica (Albuquerque, NM), Craig (Los Alamos, NM), Sandra (Jemez Springs, NM), Jarrica (Los Alamos, NM), Dean (Missouri), Sean (Sioux Falls, SD), Tonya (Rapid City, SD), Brian (Oglala, SD), Anpahiyaye (Rapid City, SD), Alixandra (Las Vegas, NV), Keith (Oglala, SD) and Hunka son Richard Palmer; 18 grandchildren; sisters: Vestana Two Lance (Batesland, SD), Rosalyn Jumping Bull (Oglala, SD), Janice One Feather (Kyle, SD), Cheryl One Feather (Kyle, SD), Eloise One Feather (Hot Springs, SD), Clara One Feather (Hot Springs, SD) Fermina Red Own Quintana (Santa Domingo, NM) and Carol One Feather (Hot Springs, SD); and brothers: Delmar One Feather (Oglala, SD), Hunka brothers: John Zeller (Wabasha, MN), Paul Hadzima (Woodbury, CT), Carl Koch (North Haven, CT) Austin McKay (Canada) and Tom Brokaw (Livingston, MT) Robert Red Owl (Kyle, SD); and Jonathan One Feather (Kyle, SD). Preceding him in death were his parents, Elva and Joe One Feather, his brothers, Maurice One Feather, Kelmar One Feather, Carlos Jumping Bull, Calvin Jumping Bull, and his sister, Ida Tobacco. A two night wake service will be held on Monday, August 25, and Tuesday, August 26, at the Prairie Winds Lakota Dome in Oglala, SD. On Wednesday, August 27, funeral service and burial will take place at the family residence in the Oglala Junior Community. Rev. Peter Powell will be officiating with traditional Lakota services provided by Richard Broken Nose and Richard Moves Camp. Contributions may be made to Gerald’s Faculty Endowment Fund at OLC: Piya Wiconi Gerald One Feather Faculty Endowment Fund PO Box 490 Kyle, South Dakota 57752