Patricia Ann McGee

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Patricia Ann McGee
Prescott Yavapai Tribal president
Preceded byDon S. Mitchell
Succeeded byStanhope Rice, Jr.
Personal details
Born
Patricia Ann Vaughn

(1926-07-09)July 9, 1926
Holbrook, Arizona
DiedApril 6, 1994(1994-04-06) (aged 67)
Phoenix, Arizona
Resting placeYavapai-Prescott Tribal Cemetery
SpouseErnest "Ernie" McGee (1931โ€“1994)
Parent(s)Amy Jimulla and Albert Vaughn

Patricia Ann McGee (July 7, 1926 – April 6, 1994) (

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and inducted into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame
.

Early life

Patricia Ann Vaughn was born on July 9, 1926, in

Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas, and took extension courses at the University of Kansas in psychology and public speaking.[7] In the 1950s, she married Korean War veteran, Ernest McGee (1931-1994).[8]

Career

Beginning in 1966, McGee worked in the tribal government. She first served as tribal secretary-treasurer and then in 1968 was elected as vice president, serving two terms.[9] Because of the dual system of governance established when Viola Jimulla took over as chieftess of the tribe,[10] Jimulla was succeeded as chieftess by her daughters Grace Mitchell in 1967[11] and upon Mitchell's death in 1976, by Lucy Miller.[12] However, the Tribal Council, which had been established in 1940[10] was led by Grace's husband, Don S. Mitchell until 1972 when McGee was elected as president.[9][13][14] When Miller was appointed as chieftess, McGee was reconfirmed as president of the tribe.[15] She served for 16 years before being ousted by Stanhope "Stan" Rice, Jr. in 1988. After he served one term, McGee was re-elected in 1990 and served until her death.[16][17]

In 1971, McGee returned to school, studying at

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).[21] McGee garnered another federal grant in 1975 for the tribe to build an industrial complex to increase job opportunities.[22] In 1976, the Horizons on Display project of the tribe was selected as one of two Arizona projects honored by the national Bicentennial celebration. Though McGee had helped with the project and attained over a million dollars in grants for the tribe as their business manager, she was ousted from the position in 1977, because the tribe felt that her serving as both business manager and president was a conflict of interest.[23]

McGee secured millions of dollars from both the federal government and the City of Prescott to build a resort and conference center for the tribe. She leased reservation lands for shopping centers to earn tribal revenue and negotiated terms for a water settlement between the government and the tribe. In 1992, McGee signed the first compact with the State of Arizona for

Wall Street Journal.[25] In addition to her economic development projects, McGee served on the State Civil Rights Advisory Board[26] and was appointed by President Richard Nixon to serve on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE).[3] She also served on the boards of both a national and state Inter-tribal association.[27]

McGee died on April 6, 1994, in

References

Citations

Bibliography

Preceded by
Don S. Mitchell
Chair/President of the Prescott Yavapais
1972-1988
Succeeded by
Stanhope Rice, Jr.
Preceded by
Stanhope Rice, Jr.
President of the Prescott Yavapais
1990-1994
Succeeded by
Stanhope Rice, Jr.