Ben Shelly (July 6, 1947 – March 22, 2023) was the 7th one-term president of the Navajo Nation. Shelly was the first president to have been elected both president and vice president of the Navajo Nation. He was also the first New Mexican Navajo to hold the Navajo presidency.
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Ben Shelly (Navajo Nation) cause of death
Ben Shelly (Navajo Nation) cause of death. Former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly died Wednesday after a long illness, according to a family spokesman.
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Shelly died in New Mexico with his family at his side, said Deswood Tome. He was 75.
Shelly took over as president of the vast reservation in January 2011 after serving one term as the tribe’s vice president. The 27,000 square-mile (69,000 square-kilometer) reservation extends into New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.
Shelly lost his re-election bid in 2014, but the Navajo Supreme Court extended his time in office by five months after the tribal election was delayed by a question over Navajo language fluency requirements for the job involving another candidate.
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