Crow Tribal Chairman Venne dies

HARDIN, Mont. – Crow Tribal Chairman Carl Venne, praised by President Barack Obama as a leader who engaged in a “fervent quest for a better life for his people,” has died. He was 62.

Venne was found dead Sunday in his sister’s home, according to the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office. He apparently died in his sleep of natural causes, the office said in a statement.

“I was honored to have worked with Chairman Venne, a strong tribal leader, who implored us to uphold treaties and honor Native ancestors,” Obama said in a statement released by the White House.

Venne greeted Obama last summer during a campaign stop in Crow Agency. The Crow adopted Obama as a member of the Black Eagle family. Last month, Obama watched Venne lead Crow horsemen during the inaugural parade in Washington.

The tribe of about 11,000 members is under the leadership of Cedric Black Eagle, who rose from vice chairman to interim chairman. An election to fill the chairmanship will take place this spring, Crow spokesman Ben Cloud said.

Venne was remembered as a leader who worked for the betterment of his people by pressing for economic development on the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana, and by seeking improvements in areas such as health care. The Montana Legislature, which received the State of Indian Nations address from Venne in 2003 and 2007, briefly fell silent on Monday in recognition of his life.

“Carl leaves behind an entire nation strengthened by his hard work and his dedication to all Crow people,” Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said in a statement.

Sen. Max Baucus said Venne was a progressive leader who “always pushed the envelope when fighting for better health care and economic prosperity” on the Crow reservation.

Venne was a counselor at Little Big Horn Community College when he successfully ran for the chairmanship in 2002 to complete the term held by Clifford Birdinground, who resigned. Venne was re-elected in 2004 and 2008.

He was a former chairman of the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council, representing 10 tribes in Montana and Wyoming, and had led the Council of Large Land-based Tribes, representing tribes in Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming.

Venne was a Vietnam veteran and had expressed special pride in American Indians serving in the military.

Throughout his chairmanship, he supported programs against use of methamphetamine and encouraged a healthful way of life on the reservation. He was instrumental in the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee’s selection of Crow Agency as the place for a 2007 hearing on Indian health care.