Gary W. B. Donald
Gary Wayne Bignose Donald, Zaagaategaabow “One Who Stands in the Rays of the Sun” and Niizhoodenh “Twin,” of the Bullhead Clan, passed away peacefully on the morning of Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Essentia Health-Northern Pines Care Center in Aurora. He was 93 years old.
A traditional wake, funeral service, and community feasts were held in Gary’s honor at the Vermilion Wellness Center in Tower. The Traditional Wake was on Tuesday, June 23. The Traditional Funeral Service was on Wednesday, June 24 with Spiritual Advisors Billy Blackwell and Vern Adams. Arrangements were with Mlaker Funeral Home of Cook.
Burial with Full Military Honors will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 3 at Lakeview Cemetery in Tower. On what would have been their 72nd wedding anniversary, Gary will be laid to rest beside Joanne, reunited once again after a lifetime of love and devotion.
Gary was born on Aug. 2, 1932, to Ellen King and Peter Bignose Donald. He was born and raised in West Duluth until his family moved back home to Nett Lake Village on the Bois Forte Reservation. Gary enlisted in the United States Army in 1951 and attended basic training at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. He became a drill instructor and was given the nickname “Little Beaver” before transferring to the Medical Corps, serving at Tripler Army Medical Center until his honorable discharge in 1954.
After returning home to Nett Lake, Gary met the love of his life, Joanne Boness Strong. They were married on July 3, 1954, and together built a life centered on love and family. They welcomed four daughters, Gayle, Leigh, Coleen and Carolyn. In 1966, the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio’s Little Italy neighborhood, where Gary attended barber school.
In 1978, Gary and his family returned home to Bois Forte, settling at Lake Vermilion. He dedicated his life to serving his people through his work with the Teamsters Union as a foreman, the Bureau of Indian Affairs in housing development, and later through sixteen years of service, across four separate terms, as Tribal Chairman of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. During his years of Tribal leadership, Gary helped guide a period of significant growth and opportunity for the Bois Forte Band.
In 2002, Gary played a key role alongside the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bois Forte Tribal Council in placing 1,105.25 acres of land into federal trust status, ensuring the land would remain a permanent asset for future generations of the Bois Forte Band. On Feb. 28, 2002, deeds conveying title to the land into trust were formally signed, securing an important piece of the Band’s future.
He was also a driving force behind several economic development initiatives that strengthened the Band’s future, including the development of the Fortune Bay Bingo Hall, which later grew into Fortune Bay Resort Casino, as well as the development of the Wilderness at Fortune Bay Golf Course. These efforts created jobs, expanded tourism, and generated opportunities for Tribal members and communities throughout the Iron Range. Their impact continues to be felt today, supporting both the Bois Forte Band and the regional economy. Gary was proud to contribute to projects that helped build a stronger future for the community and create opportunities that will benefit generations to come.
Gary’s accomplishments were many, but those who knew him best will remember the man behind the titles. He loved fishing and netting the waters of northern Minnesota, hunting, trapping, harvesting, and processing wild rice, playing guitar, singing karaoke with family, sharing stories, watching the NFL and the NBA, listening to the Grand Ole Opry, and enjoying a good game of Rummy 500, house rules.
Whether he was gathered in the kitchen at a family celebration or out on the lake, Gary had a natural gift for making everyone feel welcome. His kindness and humor radiated wherever he went, and he found his greatest joy in spending time with family, sharing stories, hearing laughter, and making people smile. He always seemed to know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.
More than anything else in the world, Gary loved being “Gramps.” He and Joanne treasured every opportunity to spend time with their grandchildren. Whether it meant driving hours across the state for a sporting event or filling an entire summer with adventures and memories, they never missed a chance to be present. When their family needed help, they were always there. When it came to their grandkids, their favorite saying was, “Just leave them with us.”
For Gary and Joanne, family was never an obligation. It was one of life’s greatest blessings.
Gary leaves behind not only those who loved him, but also a lasting legacy within the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and the communities he called home. He lived a life of service, to his country, his people, his community, and above all, his family. His teachings, values, and love live on through the generations of family and community members who carry them forward. He will be remembered for his strength, leadership, generosity, and unwavering pride in his Anishinaabe heritage. His stories, wisdom, humor, and quiet examples of kindness and integrity touched countless lives and will continue to guide and inspire all who knew and loved him.
Gary is lovingly remembered and survived by his daughter, Gayle (James D.) Littlewolf; grandchildren, Wenona (Don-Iban) Kingbird, Jamie (BJ) Copenace, Andrea Gorham, Joanna (Tonya) Boyer, Jessa (Anthony) Boyer, Emma (Levi) Brown and Gary Proudchief; 19 great-grandchildren; siblings, William (Sharon) Tibbetts, Fern Isham, Elaine Tibbetts and Linda (Frank) Barto; along with many nieces, nephews, relatives, friends, and community members who will forever cherish his memory.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joanne; parents, Peter Bignose Donald and Ellen King Tibbetts; daughters, Coleen Jennings, Carolyn Donald and Leigh Donald; twin brother; sisters, Patricia “Girlie” Strong, Pricilla Morrison and Gwen Tibbetts; brother, Nathaniel “Butch” Freeman-Tibbetts; and many friends, relatives and loved ones who passed before him.
