10
S moke S ignals
MAY 1, 2017
Cow Creek leader Sue Shaffer walks on at age of 94
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Indian Country lost a big leader
in a small package when former
longtime Cow Creek Chairwoman
Sue Shaffer walked on on Tuesday,
April 11, in Roseburg at the age
of 94.
Shaffer guided the Cow Creek
Tribe when she took over as Tribal
chair in 1983 and was instrumental
in getting Congress to formally rec-
ognize the Cow Creek Band of the
Umpqua Tribe of Indians.
She also was instrumental in get-
ting the federal government to loan
the Tribe money for a bingo parlor
in Canyonville, which continued
to expand into the Seven Feathers
Casino and Resort operation that
it is today.
Shaffer worked on getting the
first gaming compact ever in the
state and convinced then-Gov. Bar-
bara Roberts to sign it.
Shaffer served as Tribal chair
through 2010 and also served on
the Umpqua Community College
Board of Trustees and was the first
female to chair the board. She also
received the Roseburg Area Cham-
ber of Commerce 1999 President’s
Award for outstanding contribution
to community in economic devel-
opment.
Locally, Shaffer served on the
Canyonville Planning Commission
and City Council, as well as the
Douglas County Historic Resources
Review Committee.
Nationally, Shaffer served as a
delegate to the National Congress
of American Indians, the Affiliated
Tribes of Northwest Indians and
the Indian Women’s Leadership
White House Conference.
She received many awards, in-
cluding honors from Lewis & Clark
College, the Oregon Democratic
Smoke Signals file photo
Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison, left, shares a laugh with Cow Creek Band of
Umpqua Tribe of Indians Chairwoman Sue Shaffer as they wait for Grand
Entry to start during the second annual Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations
Powwow at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion in Salem in January 2010.
Shaffer walked on on Tuesday, April 11, at the age of 94.
Party, the Daughters of the Amer-
ican Revolution and Portland State
University.
“Oregon families have lost an
extraordinary champion,” Sen. Jeff
Merkley said in a press release. “I
loved her from the first time I heard
her deliver a fiery call to action at
a political event. She was known
for her straight-forward style, her
honesty and integrity. She was
deeply involved in serving her Tribe
and the wider Douglas County com-
munity. She was a passionate and
effective leader.
“We will all remember the pow-
erful role she played in fighting for
the restoration of the Cow Creek
Band and in standing up for regular
folks. We will greatly miss her.”
The Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde held a dinner honoring
Shaffer at Spirit Mountain Casino
in July 2010. Attendees included
former Gov. Vic Atiyeh, Legislative
Commission on Indian Services
Director Karen Quigley and former
Grand Ronde Tribal Council Chair-
woman Kathryn Harrison.
“She is a hero,” said former Grand
Ronde Tribal Council member
Kathleen Tom, who emceed the
event. “A great leader among wom-
en, a warrior who gives and gives
and gives. She is out there fighting
all of the time. She is someone I
would like to emulate.”
“We are witness to greatness,”
said then-Grand Ronde Tribal
Council Chairwoman Cheryle A.
Kennedy.
Tom posted on Facebook after
Shaffer’s passing: “My heart is very
heavy for the Cow Creek Tribe.
They lost a great leader. … Dad
(Leon “Chip” Tom) and I had the
honor of working with her; always a
champion for Tribes and their peo-
ple. A great loss in Indian Country.”
“I always enjoyed working with
her,” Tribal Council member De-
nise Harvey posted. “She was a
strong Native woman and great
leader. She will be missed, but not
forgotten.”
The Cow Creek released a state-
ment on its Tribal Facebook page:
“Chairman Shaffer’s passing is a
significant event for the Cow Creek
Umpqua Tribe. Her leadership was
remarkable to the Tribe’s success.
Her unique combination of vision,
focus and determination made her
unstoppable as she led us to our
1982 federal sovereignty re-rec-
ognition. Those same traits led to
businesses as well as programs that
benefitted Tribal members’ health,
education and housing needs. Her
influence and impact extended
and benefitted many at the state
and national level, too. She was a
beloved Cow Creek Tribal member.
Her loss is deeply felt.”
Quigley, who worked for many
years with Shaffer on the Leg-
islative Commission on Indian
Services, said that she was the
best kind of champion for Tribal
sovereignty.
“Sue spoke her mind and got her
message across,” Quigley said. “No
one who ever dealt with Sue mis-
took her for a sweet little old lady.
However, she had a great smile
and laugh which came along with
her strong beliefs and opinions.
She was determined to make sure
the state of Oregon remembered its
history began in a way that caused
extreme grief and hardship for her
Tribe and other Tribes that had
made this land and water their
home for thousands of years.
“She was even more determined
that the state of Oregon and the
U.S. government realize that the
Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe
of Indians were still here, still
strong and always a Tribal nation.
She would speak loudly and clearly,
and untiringly, about the political
and legal status of Tribes. The
Legislative Commission on Indian
Services was strengthened by her
long years as a member. She had
the respect of a vast array of local,
state, federal and Tribal leaders
and was genuinely concerned about
the welfare of all.
“She was very grateful for the
special evening and dinner hosted
by Grand Ronde some years ago to
celebrate her and her incredible
contributions to her Tribe, her state
and to Indian Country. She was an
impressive leader and a wonderful
friend.”
Includes information from the
Roseburg News-Review.
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