Agua Caliente Tribal Council Vice Chairman Larry N. Olinger passes away

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Tribal Council Vice Chairman Larry N. Olinger passed away Monday morning at the age of 80, the tribe announced.

Olinger had been serving as the Vice Chairman of the tribe since September 2012. In his nearly 60-year career in tribal government, Olinger served in every tribal council position.

“Our Vice Chairman was a dedicated, caring leader who made us all better,” Tribal Chairman Jeff L. Grubbe said. “As a distinguished leader of this Tribe, he always asked the tough questions to ensure every single decision we made as a governing body was for the betterment of this sovereign tribal government. Today, we hold him and his wife Susan close to our heart.”

According to ‘Me Yah Whae,’ the tribe’s magazine, Olinger was raised in Palm Springs until he was four years old. He was always proud of his Native American heritage and in his early 20s, he started becoming very interested in tribal issues and tribal government.

“I was drawn to the idea that, if you dedicate yourself, you can make a real positive difference,” Olinger said during an interview for ‘Me Yah Whae.’

Olinger was first elected as a member of the Tribal Council in 1961. He would go on to serve as the secretary/treasurer for the tribe in 1969 and served as Chairman of the Tribal Council in 1970-71.

Olinger was the first Chairman of the Agua Caliente Development Authority when it was established in 1989. Olinger said he was especially proud of the work he and other tribal leaders at the time dedicated to establishing gaming as a tribal business enterprise.

“I can look back on when I was a (Council) member in 1961 and think, ‘We had so little then.’ What evolved after that – what brought us up to date – was the recognition of our sovereignty and gaming. It changed the Tribe in that we’re able to provide for our members now, the way they should be provided for, and it has made a tremendous difference in our lives,” Olinger said in a 2014 article in ‘Me Yah Whae.’

Olinger served on numerous tribal boards. He was on the Board of Directors for the Native American Rights Fund as well as the Governing Board for the State of California Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, an agency that works to protect the natural and cultural resources of the Coachella Valley.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Tribal Council Vice Chairman Larry N. Olinger,” stated Mayor Mark Carnevale. “Since the 1960s, he has played a vital role in the successful development and governance of the tribe. We, at the City of Cathedral City, hope the fond memories and the lasting legacy of Vice Chairman Olinger bring comfort to his family, tribal leaders and members, and the countless lives enriched throughout his decades of service.”

– Cathedral City Mayor Mark Carnevale wrote in a statement regarding Olinger’s passing.

Olinger is survived by his wife Susan Olinger. His decades-long marriage to his wife is what he often referred to as his proudest achievement.