SJR69,1,32 Whereas, Leo H. LaFernier was born May 9, 1933, in Red Cliff, Wisconsin, and
3passed away on January 13, 2014, at the age of 80; and

SJR69,1,54 Whereas, Leo LaFernier grew up on the Red Cliff Reservation, attended school
5at St. Francis, and hunted and fished for subsistence; and

SJR69,1,76 Whereas, Leo deeply respected nature and carried that respect and spirituality
7with him in his advocacy for native people, native rights, and natural resources; and

SJR69,1,108 Whereas, Leo served in the U.S. Air Force in 1950, sailed on ore boats, worked
9in the oil industry, and, while working for Chicago Landscaping from 1959 to 1973,
10started the Chicago Indian Village; and

SJR69,1,1311 Whereas, Leo returned to Red Cliff with his family in 1973, he was elected to
12the Tribal Council in 1980, and in 1983 he was elected vice chair of the Red Cliff Band
13of Lake Superior Chippewa, a position he held until 1998; and

SJR69,1,1514 Whereas, in 1989 Leo traveled to Germany as an ambassador with other tribal
15members to teach Native American culture; and

SJR69,2,3

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1Whereas, in 1985 Leo helped found the Voigt Intertribal Task Force (VITF) and
2was the representative for the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on VITF
3until his death; and

SJR69,2,74 Whereas, during Leo's nearly 30 years serving on VITF he was instrumental in
5securing affirmation and implementation of many court cases and
6intergovernmental agreements, including providing testimony in Lac Courte
7Oreilles v. Wisconsin in 1990; and

SJR69,2,118 Whereas, Leo was a leader in efforts to protect natural resources and
9ecosystems of ceded territory, including efforts to assess the potential impacts of
10radioactive waste storage in the ceded territory and to create the Red Cliff Tribal
11Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Committee in 2005; and

SJR69,2,1312 Whereas, "Uncle Leo," as he was affectionately known, was a leader, mentor,
13and advisor to his colleagues and was an ogichidaa, protector of the community; and

SJR69,2,1614 Whereas, Leo H. LaFernier was the loving husband of Shirley until her passing
15in 2011 and the beloved father of Lois, Debra, Leo Jr., Theresa, Eugene, Richard,
16Sherri, Gerri, Misty, and Cindy; now, therefore, be it