Texas' Alabama-Coushatta tribe's 1st female chief dies at age 67

ALABAMA-COUSHATTA RESERVATION, Texas (KTRK) -- Millie Thompson Williams, who made history as the first woman to ever serve in a tribal chief position for the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, died Friday at the age of 67. She was inaugurated in January.

The video above is from a previous report.

In a statement from the tribe on Monday, a spokesperson wrote with "great sadness" that Williams passed away at a hospital in Lufkin. All they have been told about her cause of death is a "brief illness."

"The passing of Mikko Istimatokla (Second Chief) is a profound loss for the Tribe, and she will be deeply missed. She was truly compassionate, loving, selfless, and kind. She will be remembered and honored for a life that was beautifully lived," the statement said.

RELATED STORY: Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas elects first woman to become second chief, a lifelong position

Williams spoke to ABC13 back in November, sharing that it was her cousin who nominated her before she even considered stepping up. More than 1,300 people live in the area, yet, she said she never saw women in leadership. She was selected by the tribe's election committee last September.

"Wow, this is a historical moment for me. I never thought I would be in this position. It was usually the men who got chosen to be the chiefs. So, for a while in my mind, I thought women weren't supposed to be chiefs. But along the way, I guess this was planned for my future," she told ABC13 in November. "I think women have the right to say our opinion, to say what we think about what should be done, or how we can help each other as a tribe."

RELATED: For the first time, a woman is serving as 2nd Chief for Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas is a fully-functioning sovereign government with a full array of health and human services, including law enforcement and emergency services. The role of both the principal and second tribal chiefs is to act as ambassadors of the tribe and provide cultural advice to the tribal council and key tribal committees.

Williams was born and raised on the Alabama-Coushatta reservation, a 10,200 acre area near Livingston. She was a proud member of the Bear clan and was married to her husband, Kenneth, for 47 years. She was a mother to four children and a grandmother to six.

She spent most of her life as an educator and has been working as the health and mental health coordinator for the tribe's Head Start program for the last 37 years. On the weekends, she taught tribal language classes at the local church and served as a consultant for the tribe's language preservation efforts. Her trailblazing story was eventually featured nationally by ABC News on GMA3.

Williams hoped to inspire young Indigenous girls to overcome any challenges they may face in pursuing their dreams.

"I would like to encourage them; you can be whatever you want to be in life. You can go and reach for your goals. Reach out for the stars. (I'd) just encourage them and talk to them individually one-on-one," she said to ABC13 in January during her inauguration ceremony.

A period of mourning is being observed by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe.

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