Tribal officials say Ronnie Lupe died Monday.
Lupe served as the tribe’s chairman for 36 years before leaving office in May 2018 after deciding not to seek a 10th term.
Before his long tenure as chairman, Lupe served in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a member of White Mountain Apache Tribal Council.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement that Lupe “was a man of great compassion” and “a strong leader who did not shy away from challenging the federal government on many issues, but he did so in a respectful and tactful way.”
Funeral services are pending.
A list of Lupe’s survivors wasn’t immediately available Monday night.