Gregory Eli Pyle (April 25, 1949 – October 26, 2019) was an American politician who was a long-term political leader of the

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma The Choctaw Nation (Choctaw: ''Chahta Okla'') is a Native American territory covering about , occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest federally recognized tribe in the United St ...

. He was elected as Principal Chief in 1997 and re-elected since by wide margins, reigning for almost 17 years. He resigned effective April 28, 2014. Prior to serving as Principal Chief, he had served as Assistant Chief for 13 years. He began to work for the Choctaw Nation in 1975 as a personnel officer.

Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Pyle was sworn in on June 9, 1997 as Chief of the Choctaw Nation. He promised to see that all Congressional actions continued to be closely monitored and that the tribe has a direct input into all legislative acts that affect the Choctaw. Chief Pyle announced his resignation from office at a party to celebrate his 65th birthday, with an effective date of April 28, 2014. Gary Batton, Assistant Chief under Pyle, assumed the role of Chief of the Choctaw Nation.Associated Press, "Choctaw Chief Pyle to announce retirement"
''Washington Times'', 22 April 2014, accessed 6 December 2014/"Choctaw Principal Chief announces retirement"
''Native Times'' Chief Pyle died on October 26, 2019, at his home in the Choctaw Nation, aged 70, of unknown causes.

Public service

* 1982 – Hired as Personnel Officer * 1982 – Appointed to Arkansas Riverbed Board * 1983 – Became Tribal Program Monitor to oversee and assure contract compliance of all federally funded programs being run by the tribe. * Testified before Congress for the Arkansas Riverbed case, which was won by the Choctaw, Cherokee and Chickasaw nations. * 1984 – Elected as Assistant Chief of the Choctaw Nation * Appointed by Secretary of Interior

Manuel Lujan Jr. Manuel Archibald Lujan Jr. (May 12, 1928 – April 25, 2019) was an American politician from New Mexico who served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from 1969 to 1989 and as the United States Secretary of the Interior from 1 ...

to serve on a national Task Force to reorganize the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Two years later reappointed by Secretary of Interior

Bruce Babbitt The English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix, Manche in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of king Robert the Bruce (1274−1329), it has be ...

and headed up several subcommittees on the Task Force."Chief Gregory E. Pyle to formally announce retirement"
''The Telegraph,'' 22 April 2014 * 1994 – Appointed to the Inter Tribal Council of the

Five Civilized Tribes The term Five Civilized Tribes was applied by European Americans in the colonial and early federal period in the history of the United States to the five major Native American nations in the Southeast—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek ...

. * 1996 – Served as the President of the Oklahoma Area Health Board and was also a member of the National Health Board. * 1997 – Served on Board of Directors of Landmark Bank and Durant Chamber of Commerce.

References

"A Brief History of the Choctaw Nation", retrieved 08/26/07
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pyle, Gregory E. 1949 births 2019 deaths Native American Christians Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma politicians Oklahoma Democrats People from Durant, Oklahoma People from Fort Bragg, California People from Hugo, Oklahoma 20th-century Native Americans 21st-century Native Americans